The sexualisation of young models is adding to mounting and inappropriate pressures on our innocent children according to Professor Louise Newman, director of the Monash University Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology.

Ethical adult, teen and child modelling agency Models Direct has covered may stories relating to this matter in recent months and these concerns do not come as a big shock to us. However, we do feel it important to continue highlighting the issue – both to parents, and to the industries that have such an enormous impact on the well-being of their children.

Premature sexualisation is a serious concern for parents of our generation as an increase in  sexualised child images continue to surround us – some featuring young models who are believed to directly influence our children. The additional trend for suggestive music videos, or song lyrics, that are frequently more difficult to avoid, just exasperate the problem. They leave children with issues like confusion and low self-esteem and sadly they are left at risk of inappropriate behaviour as a direct result of exposure to this type of material.

Professor Newman suggests that damage control should not be limited to becoming firmer on those who are responsible for inappropriate material reaching our youngsters. She also thinks that children should be taught from a young age how to become more ‘media savvy’.

In a recent interview she said: “We have a project where we are looking at going into schools and talking to young children, those aged eight and up, about how they are reading these images that they are commonly exposed to. But we need much more research and collection of Australian data on the implications. We are trying to get some research dollars for it, but sadly at the moment it is not seen as a high priority.”

Models Direct believes that projects of this nature should be prioritised and could potentially offer a very worthwhile addition to the education of our children and increased protection of child models.