Sexualistation of Young People

of men and women with a view to
eliminating prejudices and practices based
on the idea of the inferiority or superiority
of either sex and/or on stereotyped roles
for men and women. CEDAW also states
that the sexual objectification of women
plays a role in maintaining inequality
between the sexes, and has repeatedly
identified links between the portrayal
of women as sex objects by the media
and the sex industry and attitudes that
underpin violence and discrimination
against women.
Strategic Objective J2 of the Beijing
Platform for Action calls for all states to
tackle unbalanced portrayals and the
projection of negative and degrading
images of women in the media. Article 9
of the Palermo Protocol requires states
to discourage the demand that fosters
all forms of exploitation (particularly of
women and children) which may lead
to trafficking.
The American Psychological Association
(APA) Taskforce’s report on the
Sexualisation of Girls, published in 2007,
explores how sexualisation is affecting
young girls cognitively and emotionally,
and impacting on their ability to develop
a healthy sexual self-image. 67 In 2008, the
Standing Committee on Environment,
Communications and the Arts for the
Australian Senate published its report
on the Sexualisation of children in the
contemporary media. 68
More recently, a French parliamentary
campaign, spearheaded by Valérie Boyer
MP, has called for all digitally enhanced
photographs to be printed with an
attached health warning. Similarly, the
Real Women campaign, led by UK MP
Jo Swinson, aims to encourage the
public to challenge and complain about
misleading or untruthful advertising,
including adverts featuring airbrushed
images, to the relevant authorities.
Finally, a report on sexualised goods aimed
at children was recently undertaken by the
Scottish Government.
67 APA (2007)
68 Australian Parliament, Standing Committee on
Environment, Communications and the Arts
(2008)
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