They don’t know they’re porn

Pornography is everywhere, says frank furedi – no wonder our children objectify sex

Every week sees the publication of yet another report about the perilous state of childhood. The latest panic is about the apparent sexualisation of children.

According to a widely reported study published by the American Psychological Association, an entire generation of children is becoming psychologically damaged because of their sexualisation by the media and fashion outlets.

The APA has woken up to the fact that many parents dress their daughters like tarts - sending five-year-olds out wearing 'Flirt' T-shirts and letting them dress Bratz dolls (right) in fishnets - and that sexual innuendo is prevalent in kids' entertainment.

There is little doubt that children, like everyone in society, are continually bombarded with sexualised images. But the problem is not that, all of a sudden, children risk becoming damaged because they are