A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
In Mogadishu. (Reuters/Siegfried Modola) The practice of female genital mutilation is more widespread, and affects many more women and girls, than previously thought, according to a new report from Unicef. In the most-affected country, Somalia, 98% of the female population aged between 15 and 49 had undergone the procedure, the United Nations children’s [...]
Students feel too much is expected of them in year 12. Photo: Lyn Osborn Female year 12 students put the most pressure on themselves in the lead-up to exams and gifted girls who strive for top marks suffer the highest levels of stress and anxiety, new research into how Sydney teenagers cope with the HSC shows. [...]
https://youtu.be/6jMhMVEjEQg In the video, YouTube star Coby Persin sets out to show how easy it is to pick up an underage girl using social media. He makes a fake profile on Facebook, pretending to be a 15-year-old boy. And then with the permission of parents, he friend requests three girls, ages 12, 13 and 14. [...]
I am a mother of sons and the thought of them growing up within a culture of rampant male sexual entitlement terrifies me. Right now they are six and seven – still innocent, still able to see their female peers as fellow humans – but as adolescence approaches, I fear that a deluge of misogyny will [...]
Depression and anxiety are affecting more young people than ever before. According to a study published today by the Office for National Statistics, one in five 16- to 24-year-olds are suffering psychological problems, which is almost the rate at which these are seen in early middle age, the life-stage usually most associated with mental health issues. [...]
When it comes to stopping violence against women, actions speak louder than words. So even though there’s increased worldwide awareness about violence against women, the problem won’t be solved unless countries make significant policy and financial changes to support victims, according to a five-part series of studies in The Lancet, one of the world’s premier [...]
It is generally well accepted that females experience greater levels of depression and anxiety than males. This is true, not only during adulthood, but also during adolescence. While there is a range of suggestions as to why – including the idea that ‘men are tough and don’t talk to doctors or psychologists’, recent research offers an important [...]
Children's Week 2014 has just begun and this year's theme is "every child's right to speak and be heard". As a parent of two young children it's easy to joke about the delights of kids NOT speaking or being heard. Yet there are countless children around Australia and the globe who speak up on issues [...]
The media is highly criticized for contributing to body image issues in adolescents. However, a study out today in Psychology of Women Quarterly finds a different source for body dissatisfaction among young girls: older girls at school. A research team led by Jaine Strauss, Professor of Psychology at Macalester College, surveyed 1,536 5th through 8th-grade female students attending schools [...]
In Britain, malaise is afoot. After news hit that a gang of Pakistani men sexually abused 1,400 girls in one northern town—the fifth such group of Pakistani or Muslim heritage to materialize in just four years—one question lingers: are grooming rings endemic within certain cultures? These rings—groups of men who befriend and establish emotional connections [...]
