What qualifies as sexual exploitation?

By definition, advertising attempts to influence the opinions, perceptions or behavior of consumers. So it follows that exploiting children in adverstising may influence consumers to think and act as if children actually are sexual objects. This kind of irresponsible advertising must not continue 
     We're not talking about banning children from commercials. There are many healthy ways to portray children in advertising. And certainly, we're not advocating eliminating sexual content in media that portrays adults in control of their own sexuality--and relating to each other in a positive, mature way. 
     However, what must be eliminated is: 

   Using preadolescent girls made up to mimic adults in sexualized poses 

  Invoking adult sexual themes by dressing or making up a child 

  Unduly emphasizing the clothed or unclothed genitals and buttocks of children or adults made to look like children 

  Confusing the true age of a child-like model in a sexualized pose or position 

  Sexualizing the nudity of a child or child-like model, whether the nudity is real or implied 

  Equipping adult models with childhood props and facial expressions that create a sense of helplessness or vulnerability in a sexual context 

  Sexualizing a child by association with an adult who is nude or sexualized 

Committee on 
Child Abuse & Neglect 
of the N.C. Pediatric Society   

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