Sexuality is a set of behaviors that characterizes the person and the animal. It is a normal, healthy and natural part of all of us. However, in many cases there is a series of sexualized behaviors that are not consistent with the age of the children. These actions are known with the term child hypersexualization.

WHAT CONSEQUENCES DO YOU HAVE?

All this causes the transition between childhood and adolescence to be increasingly accelerated . However, this generates consequences in the different spheres of the infant's life:

- Low self-esteem: children begin to base their self-esteem on superficial aspects of their person such as their physical appearance and, they turn all their efforts into finding the perfect body and becoming increasingly attractive.

- Superficiality: in line with the above, the personality and self-esteem of the child is based on the physical aspect.

- Vulnerability and fragility: consequently by basing their self-concept on the image and approval of others, in the future they will be vulnerable and fragile adults to criticize those around them.

- Psychological alterations: these children try to seek perfection on a physical level and to follow almost impossible models, which can cause depressive, anxious symptoms or an eating disorder.

- Priorities: the hypersexualization of minors causes them to set aside other personal attributes and values ​​such as the effort towards personal, academic or professional development to achieve those physical and attractive attributes.

ARE THE FASTEST THINGS NOW?

We live in a time when everything is going faster and there is little patience, waiting and "step by step". It is common to find children learn to read, walk, talk etc., more and more early.

Until recently, when we used cameras, we had to be careful with the limit of photos that the reel had and we couldn't see them until they were revealed. Even sometimes, we had to wait for the next summer (if we hadn't used up the reel) in order to see the images of the previous summer. Now, we can all see the photos we just shot just now, repeat it as many times as we want etc.

Obviously, technology has helped us in many aspects and made our lives easier, but it has also made us have all the information faster. One of the consequences of this globalization of information has been child hypersexualization . This is becoming faster and is transmitted through different media, social networks and music. Through these channels we get messages or images constantly where the successful people are those who have great physical attributes and are attractive to the rest.

CAN YOU 'BRAKE'?

Consequently, with all that we have mentioned in the previous question, it is almost impossible to stop all the information that ends up in our mobile devices and, therefore, in that of our children . In addition, we must be aware that this information is transmitted silently and, slowly, it penetrates the minds of children through different ways and forms.

HOW DO SOCIAL NETWORKS INFLUENCE?

There are several factors that can affect the hypersexualization of children. Among them, we find the influence of the media, social networks and internet.

It is not unusual to see in the different series, movies or television programs most popular girls and boys dressed in adult clothes and be accepted, in that way, by the rest. For this reason, our children tend to repeat these behaviors of their favorite characters to be popular with their peer group, family or even the rest of the world. In addition, we must bear in mind that this behavior will increase in cases where children have low self-esteem

In addition, the family can also be an influential factor in hypersexualization. Children learn from their female and male reference figures their behavior patterns and can acquire the idea that they must be physically attractive to be successful in the adult world.

On the other hand, music, more specifically reggaeton , may be another factor that affects the hypersexualization of our infants. Despite the fact that the content of these songs is not usually suitable for minors, they sing it, dance etc., naturally.

It is important to consider that children are in the process of integrating all those factors that make up the personality, so that its content can favor the acquisition of values ​​such as the importance of physical attributes as opposed to other values ​​such as solidarity, Empathy or friendship.

AND THE FASHION?

Another influence that childhood hypersexuality has is fashion. Even on some occasions, society is shocked when it sees a girl on social media dressed as an older woman. And so, for example, it happened with a photo published in a fashion magazine that showed a 10-year-old girl dressed as an adult woman . Finally, they had to withdraw that campaign and apologize.

You could say that fashion is a reflection of stereotypes , gender roles, cult of the body and hypersexuality of society. In recent years, fashion is about the sexuality of the human body being released, after many years being hidden (especially in the case of girls) through a more modest fashion.

However, the latest trends are: transparencies, heels, piercing, platform shoes, padded bras, etc ... Boys, girls and adolescents do not remain oblivious to all this influence, so in the end, they are receiving the message of that, to be socially accepted, they must dress according to the latest trends in adults, which undoubtedly move to children's sections.

How can parents manage it?

As we have already seen, all this causes serious consequences for the welfare of the child. Therefore, it is very important that parents take into account the following recommendations:

- Teach children to maintain a critical attitude towards oneself and to attend to other qualities they have as people apart from physical attractiveness.

- It is important that from home talk about sexuality naturally and openly.

- It is recommended to increase the interests of children, since, in this way, children will be able to learn their own qualities and values that define them as individuals and unique.

- It is essential that from the schools and from the family children be provided with psychoeducation for healthy sexuality.

- It is important to educate children in assertive skills, so that they know how to set limits and say "no".

Alba María García Rasero is a health psychologist at the Center for Clinical Psychology (Madrid)

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