Sexualisation of children an issue that needs to be faced

Stuff co.nz 28 July 2016
Family First Comment: Melinda spoke at our 2011 Forum on the Family. A great ally in the field. Well worth attending her upcoming talks in August in Wgn & Chch.
Advocates for women and girls are calling on New Zealand to address its role in the global trade for females’ bodies.
Australian advocate for women and girls Melinda Tankard Reist​, is touring New Zealand with Hagar New Zealand in August to speak on the objectification of women and sexualisation of girls.
“It would be fair to say that NZ is facing the same challenges in regards to sexualisation of girls in media, advertising and popular culture as pretty much every other country in the West,” she said.
The writer, speaker and advocate stressed that the eroticisation of children was driving exploitation.
“When we post and style little girls to look more mature and older than they really are, when we ‘adultify’ them in advertising, this can contribute to providing permission to perpetrators to think that little girls are sexually interesting and sexually desirable.”
Tankard Reist said the problem stemmed from a lack of respect and concern for the human rights of women and girls.
“Add to that the desire to make money from their bodies and vested interests of those who stand to gain.”
READ MORE: http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/love-sex/82498037/Sexualisation-of-children-an-issue-that-needs-to-be-faced?cid=app-iPhone