A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
Jesuit missionaries knew something about human nature when they said, in the 16th century: "Give me a child until he is 7 and I will give you the man." Five hundred years later, author Maggie Hamilton argues, our society is less interested in saving a child's soul and more interested in capturing his or her [...]
The power of one. For anyone who ever doubted the power of one voice and social media they only need look at the effect Gretta Hawkhead from Port Macquarie has had by posting a comment on the Facebook page of department store Target. This ‘accidental activist’ was not expecting such a huge positive response [...]
Today many teenage girls see themselves as potential sexual objects before they see themselves as people in their own right. This is greatly attributed to the portrayal of women in the media, from celebrities to ‘yummy mummies’. It seems that no female form is safe from being re-shaped into the now version of what’s hot. [...]
Once again, the Mission Australia Survey of Australian Young People has shown that body image is a major cause of concern for young people. Amongst females it was the highest concern, reflecting our society's extreme emphasis on physical attractiveness defined by the media, fashion and entertainment industries. It's an indication that marketing, advertising and consumerism continue to be a [...]
10% of girls self harm* Image Source: Youthbeyondblue A recent study published in The Lancet, The natural history of self-harm from adolescence to young adulthood: a population-based cohort study, took a group of 1,943 young people from 44 schools in Victoria and documented their lives from the age of 14 to 29 years old. During [...]
Big Porn Inc, recently published by Spinifex Press and written by Melinda Tankard Reist puts the spotlight on our harm of the growing porn culture. It features essays by prominent writers and anti-porn activists including Gail Dines, Maggie Hamilton, Helen Pringle, and others. The essays cover a wide array of issues connected to the porn [...]
The pressure for young women to look sexy and hot all the time is making them wear shorter, tighter and more revealing clothes. This is fuelled by the images of what is perceived ‘hot, sexy, successful and independent’ celebrities like Paris Hilton, Katy Perry and Kim Kardashian. All of whom are presented to impressionable teenagers [...]
Today children learn to recognise brands from a very early age. They are trained to become ‘brand loyal’ from the images that surround them everywhere. From the Dora characters they see on their nappies to the Thomas the tank engine drink bottles they put in their Wiggles school bag. Jason Clarke, founder of Minds at Work says “it starts [...]
We have all seen them; the 'Porn T Shirts’ that depict semi naked women and equally offensive slogans. The men who wear them seem oblivious to the fact that they are not only offensive but also objectify women. So what can be done about them? We have the technology and today that gives everyone a [...]
1.1% have self-injured recently, of these 40.6% cut themselves 39.8% inflicted scratching injuries on themselves* A national survey published online in The Medical Journal of Australia has found that self-harming is more prevalent in Australia than previously thought. The survey, carried out by researchers at the University of Queensland, questioned over 12,000 people, male and female aged [...]
