Thanks for your comments! Just a quick response to both Rick and Deb above who both questioned why the government was taking so long to act. My experience is that while politicians are usually well-motivated, they are also exceptionally busy. This means that the issues that get acted on are usually the ones that they receive most pressure about (as is sometimes said, ‘it’s the squeaky wheel that gets the grease’). Although we do have strong evidence and expert opinion in our favour, we need to keep the pressure on politicians to ensure they act.

Emma

My company (Pigtail Pals) aims to reclaim girlhood for our daughters. Emma, the following comment is what fuels me to get up and do what I do: “Premature sexualisation also erases the line between who is and is not sexually mature, and as such, may increase the risk of child sexual abuse by undermining the important social norm that children are sexually unavailable.”

Thanks to both you Ladies! Excellent work!

I note your comments regarding the damge to young girls’ body image via premature sexualisation etc and agree with thenm.

Can I assume that this blog is also 100% behind the abolition of clitoridectomies being practised on young girls who live in this country, though they are not always performed in this country?
Can you imagine the effect on your body image and sexuality that results from having your clitoris and labia chopped off? Not to mention the shock and medical complications that result from these “operations”.
A few hundred of these girls have appeared at the Royal Women’s hospital per year for treatment. Does this blog support these women and girls too?

I hope so.

My question (I do have many!), but my one question is Why has nothing been done at a government level?. I agree with the bloggers above regarding their concerns, and don’t understand why nothing much has changed?

I understand since the writing of Corporate Paedophilia, there has been one change evident. That being, there are now individuals, organisations, NGO, groups and the like who are rising up and saying enough is enough.

Good on them, it’s important that we get stronger in addressing this area. But where is the governments backing regarding this important issue?

I appreciate and value your work Emma, and good on you Melinda for getting people of great strength and reputation informing us deeper on these issues.

“It needs to recognise that what is happening today is sexualisation ‘by a thousand cuts’. One sexualised billboard, one television show or advertisement, one internet site, one toy, one child’s magazine: none of these alone cause the problem of child sexualisation. It is the combination of many sexualised billboards, television shows, advertisements, internet sites, toys, magazines, and so on that cause child sexualisation. ”

This helps me to respond to those who claim “it’s just a shirt/billboard/toy.” Actually it’s just all of them!

So…what are they doing??
Acting on recommendations and reviewing the inquiry are imperative first steps!

Kids Free 2B Kids calls on the Government to take action in line with their policy.

Chapter 7: Securing an inclusive future for all Australians.
Young Australians
69. ‘Labor will place a particular focus on young people’s health needs, including physical and mental health, drug and alcohol education, the promotion of positive body image and a healthy lifestyle. Labor will work towards developing strategies to prevent and reduce the damage being caused by the increased sexualisation of children in the media and popular culture.”

Good news on sex billboards, Ipswich sexpo billboard pulled from Ipswich billbaord, read the full story

Please it time we say enough is enough with our tax dollars being used to promote inappropriate material when mothers are driving in the car or even at home with small babies.