A counselling expert and head of the National Organisation of Women (NOW) have both raised alarm over the sexualised behaviour of schoolchildren.
Their concerns follow the circulation of at least two viral videos showing students in school uniforms engaging in sex. The child advocates are warning that social media, peer pressure and gaps in parental guidance are contributing to increasingly risky behaviour among young people.
Sean Clarke, CEO of Supreme Counselling for Personal Development, and Melissa Savoury-Gittens, president of NOW, have both raised alarm over what they see as the growing sexualisation of children and the long-term consequences of their actions being shared online.
Clarke argued that social media has become one of the most influential forces shaping young people’s behaviour.
“Social media has become one of the most powerful influences shaping the behaviours and attitudes, even the communication skills and the decision-making of young people. It has influenced everything that they do, the way they learn, the way they interact, the way they express themselves, and their view of the world around them.”
While acknowledging that peer pressure existed long before social media, he said online platforms have amplified the problem by encouraging young people to seek validation through likes and views.
“Young people are now doing things for likes. So who can get the most likes? I am not ashamed to put myself out there in a negative way, in a compromising position because I can get a million views. I can get a million likes.”
Many young people struggle with low self-esteem and may engage in behaviour they would not otherwise consider in order to feel accepted, Clarke said.
“When you have a low self-esteem, you will do anything to feel belonged. You will want to do anything to feel part of the crowd. You want to be associated with the popular ones.”
Savoury-Gittens also pointed to social media and entertainment content as major influences on children.
“It’s hard to find a TV show where there’s no sexual content involved. Everything you get is something to do with sex, and something at some level.”
Girls often face greater consequences than boys when sexual behaviour becomes public, she said.
“For a boy, it may be a badge of honour, but for a female, it’s very different. She’s now known, and it’s not a badge of honour for her. Usually, most times it ends up being a badge of shame for her. So it’s worse when it comes to a female than it is for a male.”
Both Clarke and Savoury-Gittens suggested that while such behaviour may not be new, smartphones and social media have made it more visible and capable of spreading rapidly, exposing children to public scrutiny and long-term consequences.
Clarke warned that children often fail to appreciate how online content can follow them into adulthood.
“It means that there can be some kind of longevity. It can have a life, and that life, if we are not careful, can turn around and prevent us—as we get older, as we mature—from living the life that we want to live.”
Both advocates agreed that parents remain the first line of defence and that conversations about sexuality, self-respect and personal responsibility should begin in the home.
“We have to teach our young people, we have to teach our females to raise their self-esteem, to know about their self-worth, to know about their self-efficacy, to know self-awareness, to be aware of who they are, and to respect themselves, their bodies as the temple,” Clarke said.
He added that boys must receive the same guidance.
“The males need to be taught similar lessons how to respect not only themselves but how to respect females, about self-worth.”
Clarke also stressed that parents must model the behaviour they expect from their children.
“As parents, we need to be careful with what we do, what we say, how we say what we say, and how we do what we do in the presence of our children.”
He argued that parents themselves need more education on the impact and dangers of social media.
“The education must not only be for children, it must be education for parents as well. Educating them on the ills and the dangers of social media, not only the dangers for their children, but for the dangers of society and realising that my child is a part of society.”
Savoury-Gittens shared similar views but said schools, churches and community groups also have important roles to play.
She noted that many children place tremendous trust in their teachers.
“I find that children have a different kind of respect for teachers, most children, that is, especially the younger ones in primary school and so on. Children believe in their teachers, right? And I think that they then have an opportunity to share with these children more so than the parents will be able to.”
She added: “I think many teachers can play a greater role in helping children to understand certain things. I think the church can play a greater role, you know, in teaching them beyond Christ into the other areas that they may need help with and the community groups.”
The two advocates also called for early intervention and greater awareness of warning signs that children may be struggling.
Clarke urged parents and educators to pay attention to sudden behavioural changes, including aggression, disrespectful behaviour, withdrawal, secrecy and emotional instability.
He said these behaviours can sometimes stem from peer pressure, bullying, emotional distress, substance use, gang influence and online manipulation.
“You can look at declining academic performance and the fall in grades; there’s a lack of motivation. Your child is not only skipping class, but he’s also skipping school, things like incomplete assignments. So those are some of the things I think that come to mind in terms of the warning signs.”
Savoury-Gittens called for greater participation in parenting programmes, arguing that support exists but many parents are not taking advantage of it.
“The response is poor. So sometimes we have to get incentives to the parents to come out.”
She recalled one parenting initiative where attendance surged after financial incentives were offered.
“They said they did that, and the response was so overwhelming. They did $100. If you come to the programme, you get $100 and the line was outside the door.”
While advocating for more parenting education and stronger protection for girls, Savoury-Gittens said adults should not avoid difficult conversations with children.
“Protect and not shame, that is a difficult one. Because you still want them to understand that what they’re doing is not right. You have to tell them about it, you know what you’ve done is not right, they feel a way about what you’re saying to them, and they may feel embarrassed.”
(LG)
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