Professional opinion

Here are some quotes from professionals and people within the government on what they think about things like the sexualisation of images and the effects they have on young people today:

An independent review into the sexualisation of young people, conducted by psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, was welcomed by Home Secretary Alan Johnson today.
Commissioned by the Home Office, the review forms part of the government’s strategy to tackle 'Violence Against Women and Girls'(VAWG) and looks at how sexualised images and messages may be affecting the development of children and young people and influencing cultural norms. It also examines the evidence for a link between sexualisation and violence.
Key recommendations include:
• the government to launch an online 'one-stop-shop' to allow the public to voice their concerns regarding irresponsible marketing which sexualises children, with an onus on regulatory authorities to take action. The website could help inform future government policy by giving parents a forum to raise issues of concern regarding the sexualisation of young people
• the government should support the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) to take steps to extend the existing regulatory standards to include commercial websites
• broadcasters are required to ensure that music videos featuring sexual posing or sexually suggestive lyrics are broadcast only after the 'watershed'
• the government to support the NSPCC in its work with manufacturers and retailers to encourage corporate responsibility with regard to sexualised merchandise. Guidelines should be issued for retailers following consultation with major clothing retailers and parents’ groups
• games consoles should be sold with parental controls already switched on. Purchasers can choose to 'unlock' the console if they wish to allow access to adult and online content.
Dr Papadopoulos has worked closely with the Home Office in developing the current national awareness campaign targeting violence within teenagers' relationships. A pack for teachers and pupils to accompany the campaign will shortly be made available to all schools. The government is also committed to introducing the subject of violence against women and girls and gender equality into the national curriculum, both of which are recommendations outlined in this review. The full list of recommendations will now be considered in more detail.
Statement from the Home Secretary
Alan Johnson said, 'We know that parents are concerned about the pressures their children are under at a much younger age, which is why we have already committed to a number of the recommendations in this report.
'Changing attitudes will take time but it is essential if we are going to stop the sexualisation which contributes to violence against women and girls.
'I would like to thank Dr Linda Papadopoulos for producing this review, with recommendations which will contribute to the ongoing debate around this complex issue.
'We will now consider the full list of recommendations in more detail and continue to ensure that young people’s development and well-being are a top priority.'
Statement from Psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos
Dr Papadopoulos said, ’As a psychologist and as a parent, I welcomed the opportunity to take a critical look at the sexualisation of young people.
'Over the past few months I have spoken to many people including young people, parents, teachers and professionals and it is clear to me that this is a very emotive issue.
'I wanted to ensure that this was not an opinion piece, but a review based on real data and academic research which will help generate further debate and inform decisions about how to address these issues going forward.'
Statement from the Children’s Minister
Delyth Morgan said, 'Children today are growing up in a complex and changing world and they need to learn how to stay safe and resist inappropriate pressures. That is why we are making Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education statutory so that we can teach children about the real life issues they will face as they grow up.
'PSHE already includes teaching about advertising and body image and from 2011 will include issues around violence against women and girls. The PSHE curriculum is age appropriate to give children and young people the right information at the right time to help them make the best choices and to develop their confidence.
'We are supporting schools with new guidance to help raise awareness among teachers about violence against women and girls, so that they can prevent and respond to these issues, and to show them how to address it in the curriculum.
'We have also recently launched a new campaign Click Clever Click Safe to help children and young people understand some of the risks they are exposed to when they go online. This will give parents the confidence to help their children enjoy the internet safely.'