Pressure to be sexy leads under-14s to self-harm

A study conducted in Britain by Girlguiding UK found that under-14s there believe the influence of magazines, websites and friends telling them to look and act sexually is making them unhappy, and driving some of them to self-harm and eating disorders. Two out of five said they felt worse about themselves after looking at pictures of models and pop stars, such as Kate Moss and Cheryl Cole, and many feel compelled to wear clothes that make them look older, to lose weight, wear make-up and even consider plastic surgery. Others said they felt under pressure to have money to buy the latest grown-up fashions and gadgets such as iPods and mobile phones, and that a growing "check-list" of ideals gave bullies more reasons to target them. Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation which worked on the study, said: "Girls and young women are being forced to grow up at an unnatural pace in a society that we, as adults, have created and it's damaging their emotional well-being. "We have a responsibility to put this right–we must tackle head on the difficulties that the younger generation are facing." The report, A Generation Under Stress?, is based on an online survey of 350 Girl Guides aged below 15, together with detailed interviews conducted with teenagers across Britain. It found that the pressure to grow up before they felt ready had the most damaging effect on their mental health. The girls interviewed blamed peer group pressure, sexual advances from boys and the unhealthy ideals of the "size-zero" culture portrayed in the media for making them unhappy. A quarter said commercialism made them feel bad about themselves, and one in five said Britain's materialistic society made them angry. One of the respondents said: "When I was 11, I read a teenage magazine for the first time and that is when it kind of clicked, 'I should be like this.'" In addition, two out of five said they knew a girl who has self-harmed or suffered a panic attack, while one in three said a friend had an eating disorder. Many girls said self-harming was so common that it is seen as just another part of being a teenager. One girl said: "I think cutting your arm the first time you do it is OK–it might just be stress." Some of the teenagers also said that having nothing to do led them to self-harm or become involved in anti-social behavior. As one girl admitted: "If I get bored then I start becoming really aggressive." Liz Burnley, the Chief Guide, said: "Young girls today face a new generation of pressures that leave too many suffering stress, anxiety and unhappiness. All of us who care about young women have a part to play in helping them find a way through these conflicting demands to build the confidence they need to be themselves."