Stop Sexualizing Our Children! 1

Transcription

1 Stop Sexualizing Our Children! How the Media Impacts Children s Sexual Development and Ways to Intervene COUNSELING CENTER.net Primary Learning Goal: Help participants recognize ways in which children are sexualized as well as identify techniques to help children not be exposed to inappropriate sexual messages. Three Objectives: 1. Understand the social learning theory and the extent to which children are acting out sexually within their homes and the community. 2. Recognize how widespread sexual messages are in the media, including television, magazine advertisements and the internet. 3. Identify techniques to help children not be exposed to inappropriate sexual materials such as parent controls on televisions and the internet. Media defined as... : a medium of communication (as newspapers, radio, or television) that is designed to reach the mass of the people Why Be Concerned? Still an increase in the sexual victimization of children including sexual abuse, exploitation, prostitution, child pornography, etc. Why Be Concerned? Just under 1,000,000 teenage pregnancies in the US each year. Reports that up to 25 percent of all female adolescents have an STD. 1

2 Why Be Concerned? Significant increase in child-on-child sexual abuse. Several thousand child-on-child sexual abuse incidents will occur in Florida every year, although most are not reported. 43% of sexually abused children under 6 are molested by another child. Juveniles - 1/5 of rapes - 1/2 of child molestation cases Learning Objective #1 Understand the social learning theory and the extent to which children are acting out sexually within their homes and the community. Social Learning Also known as observational learning, vicarious learning or modeling. Process of learning to copy or model the action of another through observing another doing it. Most associated with the work of psychologist Albert Bandura (Bobo Doll studies) Social Learning Learning that occurs as a function of observing, retaining and replicating behavior observed in others. 1. Attention to the model 2. Retention of details 3. Motor Reproduction 4. Motivation and Opportunity Social Learning: Effects on Behavior 1. Teaches new behaviors 2. Increases or decreases the frequency with which previously learned behaviors are carried out 3. CAN ENCOURAGE PREVIOUSLY FORBIDDEN BEHAVIORS 4. Can increase or decrease similar behaviors. Child Sexuality Children begin learning about sexuality from the day they are born. Our sexuality, affects our children's sexuality. It is important that we provide our children with positive messages about sexuality. Our children grow up bombarded with negative sexual messages

3 Sexualization Refers to a child who has been sexualized prematurely in life. Sexualization occurs when sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person (APA). Children are being exposed to thousands if not tens of thousands of sexual messages, many of which are incomprehensible and frightfully confusing. Sexualization Children are being exposed to sexual messages that are: Frequently very explicit Too violent Male dominant-female submissive images Heterosexist Sensational Sexualization Evidence that children are displaying more sexual behavior and at younger and younger ages. Some of these behaviors are precocious in nature (typically associated only with adolescence) Research suggests that the sexualization of girls has negative consequences on girls ability to develop a healthy sexual self-image Sexualization Causes some children's curiosity about sex to become increasingly distorted Some become too preoccupied with sexual matters. Some will act out the sexual messages they are exposed to. Some will utilize their sexualized behavior to hurt other children. Can cause an increase in coercive or hurtful sexual behavior between children. Cause or Contributing Factors? What about the Other 41%? Children with Sexual Behavior Problems (SBP) History of Maltreatment 59% 1. Sexual abuse - 48% 2. Physical abuse - 32% 3. Emotional abuse - 35% 4. Neglect - 16% More trauma = higher risk for acting out sexually??????? While 59% of children with sexual behavior problems have a history of maltreatment (sexual, physical, emotion and/or neglect), another contributing factor related to the other 41% of children who act out sexually is... SEXUALIZATION? 3

4 Contributing Factors to SBP 1. Substandard parenting practices 2. Exposed to Highly Sexualized Environments 3. Chaotic Environment & more stress 4. PTSD & Excessive Anxiety 5. Poor Impulse Control & Emotionally Reactive Learning Objective #2 Recognize how widespread sexual messages are in the media, including television, magazine advertisements and the internet. Media Messages About... Touching? Sex? Nudity? Love? Objectification? Power and Control? Gender Differences? Self Worth and Esteem? TV & SEX 1. Watching TV shows with sexual content apparently accelerates the initiation of teen sexual activity and is correlated with teen pregnancy. 2. Sexual talk on TV has the same effect on teens as depictions of sex. 3. Shows with content about contraception and pregnancy can help to educate teens about the risks and consequences of sex and can also foster beneficial dialogue between teens and parents. 4. National Survey: Teens don t know as much about contraception and protection as they think. Children s Daily Media Use TV Shows with Sexual Content 4

5 Parental Concerns - Media Parental Concerns Sexual Content Follow Up Discussion Media Messages Today? Touching? Sex? Nudity? Love? Objectification? Power and Control? Gender? Self Worth and Esteem? MUSIC Sexual lyrics in popular songs linked to early sexual experiences Studies shows degrading sexual references affect behavior Teenagers who preferred popular songs with degrading sexual references were more likely to engage in intercourse or in pre-coital activities. INTERNET On-Line Victimization Based on interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,501 youth ages who use the internet regularly: One in five received a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet in the last year. Only 25% told a parent. One in four had an unwanted exposure to pictures of naked people or people having sex in the last year. Only 40% told a parent. 5

6 On-Line Victimization 1 in 33 received an aggressive sexual solicitation were asked to meet, received a phone call, mail, money or gift. Less than 10% of sexual solicitations and only 30% of unwanted exposure episodes were reported to authorities. Only 1/3 of parents used filtering or blocking software on their computer. Only 10% of parents could name a specific authority (FBI, CyberTipline, ISP, etc.) to which they could make a report to. Search - Teen Porn 17,500,000 hits on Google (8/3/10) in.11 seconds Child pornography is a multi-billion dollar industry and among the fastest growing criminal segments on the Internet, according to the USA The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), the International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (ICMEC) and other international sources. Video Games SEXTING Many Teens caught 'sexting' are facing CHILD porn charges Most do not know it is against the law The legal system is unsure how to handle such cases Of the 2,100 children the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children has identified as victims of online porn - one-fourth initially sent the images themselves Learning Objective #3 Identify techniques to help children not be exposed to inappropriate sexual materials such as parent controls on televisions and the internet. PREVENTION Increased Prevention Funding Improved Research More Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs Treatment for Child Victims 6

7 NATIONAL PREVENTION Sex Education Programs Stranger-Danger isn t cutting it! National Campaigns Legal & Political Interventions (ex. new laws - Internet) Crisis Intervention & Diversion Programs Elementary Schools General Public Parents/Caretakers Foster Parents Religious Affiliations Community Levels Schools in the U.S. are still reluctant to address even basic sex education and usually late and not enough detail. Although some schools and programs teach about healthy touching, many children can not demonstrate competency regarding the ability to protect themselves. Ex. Sophie Standard good touch, bad touch and secret touch programs are necessary. Research - Children who receive sexuality education from an early age: 1. Understand, and accept with confidence, physical and emotional changes. 2. Feel positive about their bodies. 3. Appreciate and accept individual differences. 4. Are more likely to make informed and responsible sexual decisions in later life. Research - Children who receive sexuality education from an early age: 5. Feel good about themselves as male or female. 6. Are capable of communicating about sexual matters. 7. Understand appropriate and inappropriate behavior. 8. Are less vulnerable to exploitation and sexual abuse. BETTER PARENT & FAMILY INVOLVEMENT Research demonstrates that a majority of parents still do not communicate regularly or with enough effectiveness related to sexual matters

8 BETTER PARENT & FAMILY INVOLVEMENT There aren't any consequences to premature sexual activity in the media, so teens receive mixed messages. They need adults in their lives to help clear up those messages. Schools are not completely responsible for a child's sexual education, it should begin at home and the parents need to be the primary sex educators for their children. Open Communication with Children Better Supervision of Children SIGHT & SOUND Understanding TV Ratings TV Rating System Parents Strongly Cautioned intensely suggestive dialogue (D) strong coarse language (L) intense sexual situations (S) intense violence (V) Mature Audience Only crude indecent language (L) explicit sexual activity (S) graphic violence (V) Use of V-CHIP In 1996, as part of the V-Chip legislation, Congress passed a list of findings dealing with the effect of television on children. Among the figures were: 1. "The average American Child is exposed to 25 hours of television each week, and some children are exposed to as much as 11 hours of television a day" 2. "...Children are affected by the pervasive and casual treatment of sexually explicit material on television..." 8

9 V-CHIP Generic term used for television receivers allowing the blocking of programs based on their rating category. Intended for use by parents to manage their children's television viewing. Required in all TV units back in Jan V-CHIPS Problems: Of parents who have access to the V-chip, only 15% actually use it. As reported in 2007, 39% of parents who had access to the V-chip were unaware of its existence. V-CHIP Problems Still lacks industry-wide standards for rating programs Wording regarding ratings is too vague Many commercials and advertisements do not have ratings Most parents do not use the V-Chip COMPUTER SAFETY for CHILDREN Place computer in high traffic areas of home, schools, libraries, YMCA s, etc. Monitor computer use regularly Needs to be taught in schools Use all levels of protection 1. Level I Hardware Firewalls 2. Level II Software Security 3. Level III Safe Surfing ON-LINE PARENTAL CONTROLS Cyber Patrol Windows Vista Safe Eyes Net Nanny Norton Peanut Butter PC (PBPC) Need to Report Internet Crimes & Victimization of Children CyberTipLine Internet Crime Complaint Center FBI Local Offices 9

10 CHILD-ON-CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Task Force Prevention Task Force 1. Reduce the prevalence of child-on-child sexual abuse. 5. Develop core trainings related to the prevention and 2. Provide community trainings regarding child-on on-child sexual intervention of child-on-child sexual abuse cases for abuse and children with sexual behavior problems. public schools. Also, identify a standard curriculum on sex education for elementary schools that can be used 3. Organize Emergency Placement Teams to assist during by all schools. emergency placement decisions for children who disrupt foster 6. Collaborate with the state to develop and institute care placements due to high risk sexual behaviors as well as certification requirements for DCF, foster care staff, other high risk behaviors. mental health professionals and others who work 4. Expand the Task Force to other areas of the state and help local directly with children with severe sexual abuse trauma communities organize their own Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse and/or sexual behavior problems. Prevention Task Forces. Best Treatment Practices Needed! Early Diagnosis & Effective Treatment!!! Key Points Children sexual behavior is heavily influenced by the media, music and Internet. Many children are being sexualized prematurely. Exposure to sex on TV and in music is linked with early sexual behavior and teen pregnancy. Increase in child on child sexual abuse. Key Points Research Early sex education results in children being less vulnerable to exploitation and sexual abuse. More prevention focus needed. Ex. Good Touch, Computer and media safety in schools. V-Chip, Parent Controls & Community Interventions HELP!