Children are growing up too fast. They are growing up in a toxic atmosphere of consumerism, media overexposure and aggressive marketing. The cyber revolution offers free communication and uninhibited visuals that sexualize and objectify children at a young age. Body image and appearance become the main focus. Long before they understand what it is to be a sexual being, sexual behavior is internalized.
Researchers in Great Britain claim that boys and girls reach puberty before the age of 8. Their findings showed that 1 in 6 girls menstruates before the age of 8. Fifty years ago, I out of every 100 girls started menstruating at that age. Boys also reach adolescence at 12 or 13 years old.
Precocious puberty has its dangers. The rise in hormones at puberty can cause boys to have sex at an early age. Teen pregnancies are on the rise. The irony of this is that although they are physically capable, they are emotionally immature and ill-equipped to handle the consequences of their behavior. 40% of 13-15 year olds are no longer virgins.
Children’s websites like Missbimbo.com encourage children from all over the world to enjoy Bimboland. Here the images of girls with curves and googly eyes are projected as if they are fashionable. You can create your own bimbo and become a fashion star.
Nuts.co.uk has an absorbing game where 230 photos of topless girls can be matched with any of 10,000 breasts in a game called “Rate My Breasts”.
At the beginning of January this year, two new plastic surgery applications were launched on the market. They are called “Plastic Surgery”, “Plastic Doctor and Plastic Hospital Office for Barbie versions”. The instruction reads: “This unfortunate girl has so much extra weight that no diet can help her. In our clinic she can have surgery called liposuction that will make her slim and beautiful. We will have to make small cuts in the problem areas and suck out the extra fat. Will you operate on his doctor?” Although the general public shows its outrage on Twitter, the number of visitors to the site registers its popularity.
The “pinkification of childhood” or color coding of children’s merchandise is another way of portraying girls as purely decorative, pleasing to the eye, and enjoyable.
The hypersexualized images children are exposed to and the easy availability of pornography are turning children into precocious mini-adults. The loss of innocence comes too soon. They grow up with a distorted image of the human body and sexuality. Linda Papadopaulos, a psychologist, calls it the “pornification of society” due to the incorporation of the sex industry.
A permissive family environment is another reason why children are prematurely sexualized. Parents must be good role models and not shirk their responsibilities. A mother who drags her 5- or 6-year-old to a salon for facials, lipstick, eyebrow plucking, and hair styling is encouraging the child to believe that appearances are all that matters. Mothers even compete with each other to have the best dressed and most elegantly groomed daughters. There was a time when children wanted to be doctors, nurses or teachers. Today, their goal is to be fashion models or movie stars.
Lack of supervision is a growing problem when both parents work. There is no one who controls what you see on the net or on television or who your friends are. Parents have no control over who they meet on Facebook or other social networks, and what type of interaction occurs. Exposure to pornography is rampant.
Parents with busy schedules buy themselves guilt by excess. Too much pocket money or even the use of credit cards is a way of pampering them. While girls go for trendy clothes and accessories, boys buy expensive computer games, videos or gadgets. Children absorb consumerist tendencies. The impact of brands is so great that they want to dress up as their favorite characters and use only the brands that they promote. Girls want to strut and twirl like Miley Cyrus or Beyonce and guys want to imitate Sharook Khan or Brad Pitt. Their “pester power,” the ability to influence parents to buy what they like, increases.
Harmful effects of sexualization:
1. Promiscuity. This can lead to casual flirting, posting sexy photos online, experimenting with sex even though they have little sexual knowledge.
2. Drugs and alcohol become part of their lifestyle, leading to irresponsible behavior and health risks.
3. Unwanted pregnancies.
4. Dropping out of school
5. Social problems.
6. Anorexia due to her desire to lose weight.
7. Juvenile crimes, including rape by children between the ages of 7 and 12.
8. Victims of pederasts.
9. Attracted to perform in porn videos.
10. Anxiety and depression. Many times suicide.
How to protect your children:
• Provide a stable family environment. Children who grow up in such a home develop self-esteem and social confidence. Basic rules and guidelines regarding behavior should be established, i.e. when can a girl wear adult clothing and makeup? At what age are dating allowed? There should be open communication between parents and children. Talking with them will encourage them to discuss their problems. Parents also have a responsibility to monitor children’s use of computers, tablets, and phones, and crack down on suspicious activity.
• Sex education by teachers and parents. Children are curious. Teachers must be trained to communicate on the sensitive topic of sex. They must have the appropriate resources to teach about body image and wellness. Sex education should start at 7 or 8 years old. Children should be taught to focus on healthy bodies instead of beautiful bodies. The need for a healthy diet, hygiene habits, regular exercise and outdoor activities should be emphasized. Parents shouldn’t be ashamed to talk to their kids about their bodies. They must pay attention to the questions asked and give honest answers. When a child reports a disturbing event, she should be investigated. He must be sure that you will stand by him against the abuser. Children should also be educated about the dangers of viewing pornography, sexting, revealing too much personal information online, or uploading too many photos.
• It is important to teach children to recognize sexual abuse. They must know how to distinguish between ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’ and be bold enough to reject the latter. Both parents and teachers should explain what misbehavior is and how to avoid it.
• The media must self-regulate.
• Mini-Miss pageants should be banned. In September 2013, France voted to ban pageants for girls under the age of 16, in a bid to stop the hypersexualization of boys. “Let’s not allow our girls to believe that their only value is appearance,” said Chantal Jouanno, a former sports minister in the government of Nicolas Sarkozy. “Let’s not allow commercial interests to override social interests.” Those who did not comply with the rule were punished with two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros.
• Severe penalties for pedophiles and child traffickers.
• Politicians and industrialists must also share the responsibility of making the world a safe place for our children.
All children need help and encouragement in learning to take responsibility for themselves. Self-respect, the ability to distinguish between right and wrong, and resourcefulness are what will give them the confidence to grow as stable individuals in a world that flaunts harmful lifestyles.