Teen Magazines Are Sexualising Readers

A study by The Sunday Telegraph of several magazines aimed at teenage girls found that they contained sexually-explicit material which was potentially in breach of the industry's editorial code.

Campaigners have attacked the magazines' self-regulatory body as "toothless" and have called for an independent organisation to monitor the publications, which are read by children as young as 11.

The move comes after Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, ordered a review into whether young girls are being sexualised through fashion, music, computer games and other industries.

Bliss magazine, whose readers have an average age of 15, features on the front of this month's issue the cover lines "The Sex Factor, your questions answered on p46" and "Gang raped – for a mobile phone."

April's Sugar magazine, with readers aged 14 on average, features a spread entitled "Is it a crush or are you gay?". This month's Top of the Pops Magazine, with readers aged 11 to 15, is sold with a set of "Kiss Me!" stickers.

It features photos of shirtless male celebrities and a picture of Justin Gaston, an underwear model, who appears to be naked except for a panel covering his private parts.

• Bliss's website has previously invited girls to send in photographs of themselves to be marked on "looks and pullability" in a contest called "How Sexy Am I?" while Sugar has an annual modelling competition for girls asking: "Want fame, freebies and fit lads?"

• The Teenage Magazine Arbitration Panel (TMAP), the industry's self-regulatory body whose members include publishers and editors, is supposed to ensure that "the sexual content of teenage magazines is presented in a responsible and appropriate manner".

• The very blatantly sexual ethos expressed in them is becoming normalised among young girls. Then we wonder why we have such high teenage pregnancy rates and a booming ladette culture.