Media sexualisation of children, parental role and authority, the real effect of TV, media and social networking, the effect of daycare and solutions to gangs were just some of the topics covered at last week’s Forum on the Family.
Two hundred delegates representing more than 75 family-focused organisations and groups gathered to hear from a diverse range of speakers at the Forum hosted by Family First NZ.
Melinda Tankard Reist a leading Australian activist against the portrayal of girls as “sexual objects” in the media, and on children’s clothing talked about how young girls were being “sexualised”.
Tankard Reist said individuals could and needed to boycott stores and firms, which were making use of women and girls in sexually-provocative advertising and messages.
Former TV newsreader, now of the Brainwave Trust, Judy Bailey gave a Trust Presentation on, ‘How experience shapes the infant’s brain, and the effect of abuse, neglect, drugs, alcohol and stress.’
Former Mongrel Mob leader Tuhoe Isaac who came from an abusive and violent background talked about his time in the gang and the several years he spent in maximum security prison. He showed a DVD about his life in a prison cell and how his life began to change through God.
“I needed to break the cycle of hurt, guilt, and despair.”
UK psychologist and author Dr Aric Sigman said there was significant information from scientific studies over many years of the effect of an increasing amount of time children spent in front of electronic screens. He said this was leading to issues in areas of health, education and social interaction and ability.
Benefits of electronic media and gaining information via the internet must be weighed against addiction to screens and parents must control the amount of use of screens, he warned.
Family First director Bob McCoskrie said the attendance was the greatest they had ever had in the five years of the Forum.
