Multiple studies, including from the American Psychological Association, confirm that repeated exposure to sexualized images may lead girls to negative self-image, depression, promiscuity, eating disorders, substance abuse, and other potentially lifelong consequences.

Research conducted by the Parents Television Council found that the sexual exploitation of young girls on TV is frequently portrayed as “humorous.” That research report exposed the following very troubling facts:

• One-third of 238 scripted episodes during the study period contained sexual content that rose to the level of sexual exploitation; content that included:
  • Sexual violence
  • Sex trafficking
  • Sexual harassment
  • Pornography
  • Stripping
• Worse, that exploitation was 43% more likely to be treated as humorous if the characters involved were underage females.
• While all violence on TV increased by 2% over a five-year period, violence against women increased by 120% during the same period; and violence against teenaged girls increased 400% during that period.

Conclusion: The troubling trend of increasingly harmful and unhealthy images of young women and girls on TV underscores the urgent need for the 4 Every Girl campaign.