Call for Inquiry into the sexualisation of children: South Australia

Shadow Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Dr Duncan McFetridge MP, today called for an inquiry into and a report on the sexualisation of children and young people.

“Parents and families have disturbingly reported to me a number of incidents which has driven me to call for a Parliamentary Inquiry into this important issue,” said Dr McFetridge.
 
“Alarmingly there are growing reports and increasing concerns from parents and families about the prevalence of sexualised material in all forms of media and marketing in South Australia.
 
“Sexual violence in the media and on the internet is having a social, developmental, cognitive and physical impact on our children and teenagers and these are important issues that need to be identified and addressed by the Parliament.
Dr McFetridge has called on an Inquiry to examine:
  • The sexualisation of children and young people in television, electronic, print and social media and marketing;
  • The exposure of children and young people in South Australia to sexualised images and content in public places, television, electronic, print and social media and marketing;
  • The impact of children and young people of growing up in a sexualised culture;
  • Adequacy of current measures at state and federal level to regulate sexualised imagery in television, electronic, print and social media and marketing, and the effectiveness of self-regulation measures;
  • Measures to assist parents in fulfilling their responsibility to protect and educate children;
  • Measures to educate children and young people and assist them in navigating the contemporary cultural environment; and,
  • Possible measures that the State Government can take to assist children and young people to navigate the cultural environment successfully.

“I have had reports of children acting out disturbing behavior at school, kindergartens and play groups amongst their peers and in normal social situations where this type of behavior is clearly unacceptable and we have to ask why this is a growing trend.”  

Read the full media release here.

Read our Submission to the Parliament of NSW Committee on Children and Young People Inquiry into sexualisation of children and young people


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