BMJ 2014;349:g4475 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g4475 (Published 7 July 2014)
Page 1 of 2
News
NEWS Internet pornography is an urgent public health issue, conference hears Matthew Limb Manchester
UK public health professionals must fight the harm being done by internet pornography and the media’s “sexualisation” of youngsters, a US expert has warned.
Pamela Luna, a governing councillor of the American Public Health Association, appealed for urgent action by counterparts at the UK Faculty of Public Health’s annual conference. She said, “I feel we have left our kids vulnerable; as adults we’ve missed something, which is what is happening in the media.” Public health doctors needed to tackle the problem as a top priority, she said.
Luna was speaking in a debate in Manchester on 2 July that followed a screening of five films by the faculty’s public health film specialist interest group. These films looked at issues such as young people’s experiences and attitudes toward sexuality and masculinity, exposure to extreme imagery, the role of digital media, and “sexualised” advertising. Luna, who co-chairs the American Public Health Association’s film festival, said that girls who were being systematically recruited by the hard core pornography industry all over the world were discarded and left “mentally and emotionally wrecked,” as highlighted in one of the films, Hot Girls Wanted. She said that public health professionals should do more to prevent this happening, by using the media to exert a positive influence on young people’s behaviour, strengthen resilience, and deter young people from risky behaviours. “We have to look at the media, we have to understand it, we have to use it in a way that’s powerful, we have to have our voices heard, we need to be advising on films, we need to be there—we can’t sit back,” she said.
Peter Donnelly, professor of public health medicine at St Andrew’s University, Scotland, said that the “very violent and
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denigrating” nature of much internet pornography was a deep concern. He said, “All males need to think very carefully about their use of pornography, because if there’s no market, you begin to change this. What you hear in the films and from other young men you speak to is they’re not sure what it is to be a young man these days, and they need help in expressing their masculinity in a way that feels constructive and comfortable.”
The conference heard that “pervasive” media pressure was making life more difficult for young people and contributing to worsening mental health and that it was a challenge for public health professionals to keep up with the digital technologies being used. Calls were made for public health professionals to work closely with schools to get better sex and relationships education on to the curriculum.
Jacqueline Smith, a film maker who works with the charity Best Beginnings, said that girls and boys were being exposed to a “colossal” amount of digital media on smartphones and that there were limits on what could be done to restrict that access. But she said, “We can perhaps create a different set of imagery, to change the context in which these images exist and perhaps to connect with audiences in ways that show them that this is one world you could inhabit, but there are others, and use digital media to equip them to be informed about the world they live in and the rights and responsibilities they have and the choices they can make.” Helena Jopling, East of England public health registrar, said that public health teams faced difficulties, including a shortage of funds and “being accused of nannying if we teach, or educate, or restrict.” Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g4475 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2014
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BMJ 2014;349:g4475 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g4475 (Published 7 July 2014)
Page 2 of 2
NEWS
Figure
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Page 1 of 2
News
NEWS Internet pornography is an urgent public health issue, conference hears Matthew Limb Manchester
UK public health professionals must fight the harm being done by internet pornography and the media’s “sexualisation” of youngsters, a US expert has warned.
Pamela Luna, a governing councillor of the American Public Health Association, appealed for urgent action by counterparts at the UK Faculty of Public Health’s annual conference. She said, “I feel we have left our kids vulnerable; as adults we’ve missed something, which is what is happening in the media.” Public health doctors needed to tackle the problem as a top priority, she said.
Luna was speaking in a debate in Manchester on 2 July that followed a screening of five films by the faculty’s public health film specialist interest group. These films looked at issues such as young people’s experiences and attitudes toward sexuality and masculinity, exposure to extreme imagery, the role of digital media, and “sexualised” advertising. Luna, who co-chairs the American Public Health Association’s film festival, said that girls who were being systematically recruited by the hard core pornography industry all over the world were discarded and left “mentally and emotionally wrecked,” as highlighted in one of the films, Hot Girls Wanted. She said that public health professionals should do more to prevent this happening, by using the media to exert a positive influence on young people’s behaviour, strengthen resilience, and deter young people from risky behaviours. “We have to look at the media, we have to understand it, we have to use it in a way that’s powerful, we have to have our voices heard, we need to be advising on films, we need to be there—we can’t sit back,” she said.
Peter Donnelly, professor of public health medicine at St Andrew’s University, Scotland, said that the “very violent and
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
denigrating” nature of much internet pornography was a deep concern. He said, “All males need to think very carefully about their use of pornography, because if there’s no market, you begin to change this. What you hear in the films and from other young men you speak to is they’re not sure what it is to be a young man these days, and they need help in expressing their masculinity in a way that feels constructive and comfortable.”
The conference heard that “pervasive” media pressure was making life more difficult for young people and contributing to worsening mental health and that it was a challenge for public health professionals to keep up with the digital technologies being used. Calls were made for public health professionals to work closely with schools to get better sex and relationships education on to the curriculum.
Jacqueline Smith, a film maker who works with the charity Best Beginnings, said that girls and boys were being exposed to a “colossal” amount of digital media on smartphones and that there were limits on what could be done to restrict that access. But she said, “We can perhaps create a different set of imagery, to change the context in which these images exist and perhaps to connect with audiences in ways that show them that this is one world you could inhabit, but there are others, and use digital media to equip them to be informed about the world they live in and the rights and responsibilities they have and the choices they can make.” Helena Jopling, East of England public health registrar, said that public health teams faced difficulties, including a shortage of funds and “being accused of nannying if we teach, or educate, or restrict.” Cite this as: BMJ 2014;349:g4475 © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2014
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
BMJ 2014;349:g4475 doi: 10.1136/bmj.g4475 (Published 7 July 2014)
Page 2 of 2
NEWS
Figure
For personal use only: See rights and reprints http://www.bmj.com/permissions
Subscribe: http://www.bmj.com/subscribe
