The 'Wallpaper' of Children's Lives
Introduction
1.
Sexualised imagery is now a mainstream part of children's lives, forming the 'wallpaper' or backdrop to their everyday activities whether in public places through billboards and shop windows, or in the home through television and other media (National Federation of Retail Newsagents, 2011; Scottish Parliament, February 2011).
2.
There is evidence that our society is becoming more sexualised (Attwood, 2009; Nikunen et al, 2007) and the increasing number of media channels through which we receive these messages mean that we are under ever—increasing exposure to sexualised content and imagery. Sadly, some parent contributors even felt that there is 'no escape' and, for children, no 'clear space' where they can simply be themselves. And the nature of this imagery is becoming increasingly explicit (Attwood, 2009) — commentators have referred to the 'pornification' of society — with the blurring of boundaries between pornography and the mainstream (Nikunen et al, 2007).
3.
These images are being used not only in the editorial content of television programmes, music videos, websites, magazines and newspapers, but also by the commercial world
through advertising and marketing."I think that it's crept up on us gradually and this makes it difficult to take a stand against it."
Unfortunately, we have all become so used to the ubiquity of these images and messages that we no longer always register them consciously. This is Worrying."
Parents, Call for Evidence response
4.
We have heard a particular concern that the television programmes that people have traditionally watched as family gradually and this makes it difficult to viewing, such as talent shows and soaps, are starting to push the boundaries of acceptability by including increasingly sexualised content.
5.
Some contributors to the Review are of the opinion that the 'genie is out of the bottle' and that this is simply 'how things are'. Individual parents feel particularly powerless as lone voices — and this is a good reason why those with the power to change things should start to do so.
6.
Finally, serious concerns have been voiced to the Review about the ease of access to age—restricted and adult—only material on the internet and through video—on—demand and via mobile phones, and the inconsistent, and in some cases non—existent, controls on accessing such material by children and young people.
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