The Sexualization of Young Girls and Mental Health Problems

The sexualization of young girls is an ongoing problem that leads to a myriad of problems, including the subjection of girls to societal pressure and the perpetuation of sexualized violence. Sexualization can also negatively impact girls’ cognitive functioning as well as their physical and mental health.

The sexualization of young girls occurs when individuals or a society explicitly or implicitly demonstrate a girl’s value only comes from her sexual appeal or behavior, when she is sexually objectified, or when sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon her.  

Sexualization in the Media 

Sexualization appears in many areas, including TV shows, movies, ads, video games, retail spaces, marketing, social media, and pornography. Girls may feel pressure from society to appear more sexually attractive by wearing tighter clothing, posting provocative images, acting more feminine, and engaging in behaviors like watching pornography or sexting. 

Boundaries are constantly being pushed by the media and by individuals. The way female role models dress, pose, and engage in sexually charged conversations can be very impactful on girls.

When girls are exposed to numerous unrealistic portrayals of girls their age, this can lead to internal conflict, confusion, and/or self-loathing.

Unless girls can develop a health understanding of what they are seeing or hearing—and knowing that media portrayals of women don’t mean they have to change themselves—they can easily start to internalize and interpret these portrayals in unhealthy ways. 

Sexualization by Individuals

Aside from the explicitly sexual portrayals of young girls and women in the media, oftentimes friends, family members, or acquaintances may sexually objectify a young girl in their lives without even realizing it.

For instance, if a young girl is called words like “sexy,” or taught to only act or behave in a certain way that is more submissive, girls are implicitly being taught to objectify themselves—not to act in a way that feels right for them, but rather in a way that defines them through a sexual and patriarchal lens.

We may not even realize we’re teaching our girls to act differently from their male counterparts, as many of us grew up with certain stereotypes about women.

It’s incredibly valuable to become aware of what you are saying to a young woman in your life. Be careful not to imply that she is only valued for her body, the way she looks, or how “femininely” she presents herself.

Mental Health in Girls

Girls often experience more mental health issues than boys, potentially due to how sexualization affects their self-perception and self-worth. Experiencing sexualization or objectification can evoke a range of emotions. Depending on the situation, it may lead to anxiety, depression, or even PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

The continued sexualization of young girls sustains gender stereotypes, contributing to various mental health issues, such as low self-esteem, anxiety, eating disorders, depression, self-harm, and thoughts of suicide.

Oftentimes these mental health issues are symptoms themselves, arising from girls internalizing the sexualization they receive from others. Girls may not fully understand what’s happening or how to address it.

When girls don’t know how to interpret the sexualized information they’re receiving about themselves and their bodies, they may turn inward and inflict harm on themselves to release the massive stress they are experiencing.

Low Self-Esteem

When girls have low self-esteem, they can experience sensitivity to criticism, the desire to withdraw from social events, hostile behavior, exhaustion, migraines, negative self-talk, and more.

Girls experiencing low self-esteem are more likely to struggle in school and with social situations. This can lead to low grades and problems with decision-making.

Anxiety

Adults tend to recognize the signs and symptoms of anxiety, but it is harder to recognize in children. If girls are avoiding sleepovers or birthday parties, having trouble following directions, experiencing outbursts of anger, nail-biting, lip chewing, frequent urination, restlessness, changes in eating habits, or irritability, then they could be experiencing anxiety.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders are multi-faceted — they can come from numerous issues such as poor body image, low self-esteem, anxiety, perfectionism, trauma, and more.

Societal beauty standards are a major culprit as well, as girls often see certain body types in the media that may not resemble their own.

Signs of an eating disorder can include excessive exercise, unusual food habits like restriction of food intake or excessive food intake, high levels of stress, sudden weight changes, and more.

Depression

On average, girls experience depressive episodes more often than boys, and many experience them beginning from a very young age. Depression can occur for any number of reasons. The most common signs of depression include feelings of hopelessness, anger, or irritability, as well as low energy, extreme sensitivity to rejection, self-criticism, and/or loss of interest in family, friends, or school activities. 

Self-Harm

Some studies show girls are more likely to self-harm than boys. Whenever a girl intentionally injures herself, this is considered self-harm. This could include cutting or burning the skin. If you suspect a girl is self-injuring, it’s important to tell a parent, counselor, or mental health professional as soon as possible.

Suicidal Thoughts

For teens, suicide is a leading cause of death, and rates have risen rapidly in the female youth population in recent years. Some of the warning signs include depression, withdrawal from family or friends, drastic personality changes, distress, rebellious behavior, or a history of substance abuse or mental illness. If a girl has given away her favorite possessions or has talked about suicide, even in a joking manner, this could be a sign that she’s dealing with suicidal thoughts. 

Many girls deal with mental health issues that go unnoticed. It’s important to pay attention to drastic changes in mood, behavior, personality, and likes or dislikes.

For example, if a girl loves playing soccer, but suddenly hates it and wants nothing to do with it, you should find out why. 

Sexualized Violence

“Sexual objectification dehumanizes girls and women, which contributes toward rape culture and violence against women,” says Carrie Baker, JD, PhD, author of “Fighting the US Youth Sex Trade: Gender, Race, and Politics and The Women’s Movement Against Sexual Harassment.” 

When girls are viewed, portrayed, or treated as objects, they start to self-objectify. This can be psychologically damaging, especially when the girls begin to value physical attractiveness or sexual worthiness above intelligence and personal well-being. When a young girl suffers from poor mental health, she becomes vulnerable to manipulation, false promises, violent acts, and mistreatment. 

All girls, regardless of social standing or geographical location, are susceptible to sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse, prostitution, and sex trafficking, all of which can stem from sexualization. 

Studies show girls and women make up 80% of sex trafficking victims in the United States. Many times, girls are forced into trafficking through violence, threats, and even marriage. Others are lured into the industry with gifts, false promises, and/or lies in which a trafficker is offering financial support, romantic love, or another misleading opportunity.

Ending the Sexualization of Girls 

Girls are being sexually exploited all across the world, but putting a stop to the sexualization of girls requires many systematic and societal changes.

Employing more women in positions of power in media and politics could help ensure that, moving forward, there are more realistic portrayals of women in the media and that more protective laws for women are enacted. On a personal level, you can become more aware of how your actions or the actions of your loved ones could be affecting a young girl in your life.

If you wish to support and empower girls, you can provide the following: mentorship, programs or activities that build self-esteem, access to mental health services, and more. The more we talk about the problems associated with sexualization, the better.

“#MeToo has generated conversations about sexual harassment, sexual assault, and consent that contribute toward more awareness among girls of their right to bodily autonomy. Adult women who speak out and claim their right to be free from sexual harassment and assault serve as role models for girls,” says Baker.

Ultimately, the only way to prevent sexualized-based violence is to end the demand for child porn, prostitution, and underage trafficked victims, but as an individual, you still have the power to change the narrative. You can help end the sexualization of young girls by rethinking your actions, behaviors, and words.

As a parent, one of the best things you can do is talk to your child (regardless of gender) about the harms of sexualization, and if you see signs of a mental health issue, contact a professional right away.