Nearly three quarters of British adults think that sexualised media and advertising is ‘around too much nowadays’ and significant numbers feel that today’s society is seeing a ‘change in culture’ towards the sexualisation of children that is ‘not a good thing’.
Two thirds of those polled agreed that modern children are under pressure to behave in a more sexualised way than ever before.
- Nearly three quarters (72%) of British adults believe that sexualised media and advertising is ‘around too much nowadays’
- Nearly three quarters (72%) believe that sexualised media and advertising is currently around too much
- 64% say children are under more pressure to behave in a sexualised way now
- 65% disagree with the statement ‘I do not think that children are particularly sexualised these days’
- While 55% agree that children behave in a more sexualised way nowadays, and link it with an evitable change in culture that is ‘not a good thing’
- Only 16% agree with the statement that children behaving in a more sexualised way ‘is not necessarily bad’
- Specifically talking about media, 70% of people think that parents are too relaxed these days about what they let their children watch
- And while 67% agree that children have always tried to dress in a way that makes them look older, 70% say there is too much sexually inappropriate clothing aimed at children nowadays
- 69% feel that the clothes children wear are not appropriate for their age
The results suggest that the majority of Brits may put the sexualisation of children down to an inevitable change in culture, but conclude that it is not a good thing. Yet the perceived ‘change in culture’ seems to have been exacerbated by various issues, with nearly three quarters believing that parents are too relaxed about what they let their children watch, and the majority saying that there is too much sexually inappropriate clothing aimed at children.
‘Putting the brakes’ on sexualisation
The poll comes as a report revolving around the sexualisation of children and the media is released this week. The report, which is the culmination of a six month review undertaken by Mothers’ Union chief executive Reg Bailey with the support of Prime Minister David Cameron (pictured, at a meeting with Bailey and Children's Minister Sarah Teather on the issue), calls for widespread voluntary changes to both retail and the media in a bid to stop the exposure of children to sexually inappropriate material, including asking retailers to voluntarily remove ‘inappropriate’ children’s clothing from stores within a certain timeframe, or face sanctions.
The Prime Minister yesterday wrote to Bailey thanking him for his report. ‘I very much agree with the central approach you set out,’ the letter stated. ‘As you say, we should not try and wrap children up in cotton wool or simply throw our hands up and accept the world as it is. Instead, we should look to put the brakes on an unthinking drift towards ever-greater commercialisation and sexualisation.’
