20 Jan In-the-News Update [Issue: Life]
Balenciaga, Disney and TikTok find themselves facing allegations of the sexualization of children which is leading to the increase in demand for children in the sex trade. Balenciaga has children modeling in fishnets and bondage gear, while Disney and Nickelodeon are leaning into the hyper-sexualization of child actors. TikTok’s trends have underage teens offering up their innocence for their 3 minutes of fame. “Whether we acknowledge it now or not, the objectification and sexualization of children directly contribute to the silent epidemic of child sex trafficking by fueling demand to purchase minors for sexual purposes.”