Girls, Sexuality and the Strange Carnalities of Advertisements: Deconstructing the Discourse of Corporate Paedophilia

Abstract

in 'Corporate Paedophilia: Sexualisation of Children in Australia', Emma Rush and Andrea La Nauze warn parents and policy makers of the threat to the physical, emotional and cognitive development of children wrought by the sexualising images found in corporate advertising and popular media directed at tween-aged children between the ages of six and eleven (Rush and La Nauze 2006a). Sexual images are seen as hazardous to young children in two ways: first, they promote undue concern with activities such as 'shopping, makeovers and imitating [sexy] pop stars', and in so doing distract children from other developmentally appropriate activities (Rush 2006). Second, such imagery perpetuates the 'grooming' of 'children for paedophiles', sending the message that 'children are sexually available (Rush and La nauze 2006a, 3). Given the potential consequences of such outcomes, it should come as no surprise that 'corporate Paedophilia' created a frenzy, albeit a short-lived one, in the Australian national media and caused heated debate on several blogs across the country.