Psychologist talks about the risks of adultization and eroticization of girls

Recently, Gabriella Abreu SeverinoMore known as melody, again became the subject of controversy, this time involving his latest clip and his appearance in Instagram photos. The girl undergoes a process of eroticization and adultization due to the way she behaved and dressed in publications on social networks and in videos – considering that she is only 11 years old.

melody she was harassed online through pornographic comments and even had her account suspended after a large number of criticisms regarding the sex appeal of the photos. In her latest video clip, now out of the air, the child singer makes faces and mouths, wears a sensual outfit and appears with heavy makeup, giving her the appearance of an older person. And this is repeated in the photos she posts.

Melody’s father, Thiago Abreu, who also works as her manager, is accused of being responsible for the exposure and sexualization of the girl. He may pay a fine for this, as reported by the CLAUDIA🇧🇷

Faced with this, the early adultization and eroticization of girls was once again put on the agenda. Not only Melody, but also several girls are seen on the internet at a questionable level of exposure. Milly Bobby Brownthe star of Stranger Things, is another famous example. She is only 14 years old and dresses like an adult woman, as shown in the clicks taken at some events.

O MofWoman talked to Deborah Moss, neuropsychologist and specialist in developmental psychology, regarding this behavior of children and pre-adolescents who have a history of behavior similar to Melody’s. We seek to understand, above all, the consequences that these attitudes may have in the future, influencing the sexual, psychological and emotional development of young women.

Deborah talks about how important the childhood phase is for human development and warns about its shortening, a phenomenon enhanced by the popularization of the internet among children. “Kids these days want to be adults right away. They end up having to go through their entire childhood without having that playful part.”

In case of melody, who is still a child, Deborah claims that this eroticization is the result of the way she presents herself to the internet and that this is not her conscious choice. “She is a child who is trying to be and appear bigger than she is. And we have to think about whether, emotionally, she will be able to deal (with the fact) of being a woman and being looked at in an erotic way, ”she said.

In the field of human development research, she says, there is a feeling and analysis that, somehow, what was already a short phase is getting shorter and shorter. In the current situation, the conclusion drawn is that “the child is born and grows up knowing that he is an adult” and that, according to Deborah, public health “should be more involved with this, but it is not”.

“Adults are already relating to her as if she were an adult. She is somehow embodying this role (of an adult woman) that she is taking on ”, she analyzes.

Not only the sexualization of the child singer, but also her exposure to the public is problematic. According to Deborah, melody ends up being a model for other girls of the same age and reiterates that it is not legitimate to say that this is 100% her choice.

“This girl has someone legally responsible for her. The way she exposes herself confuses, (implying) that she is an adult. And that’s the danger, she’s not an adult. She is not legally responsible for her actions,” she warns.

The neuropsychologist believes that adults should take care of a child who is at this level of exposure to avoid the risk of disorders in the future, such as depression and anxiety. According to her, this emotional demand of demand and expectation is too much for a child of that age.

“The chance of going wrong is very high because she is being demanded much more than she will handle. And it may happen that other artists disappear from the map, ”she explains.

For her, it is necessary for parents to set limits for this ‘internet generation’ that constantly lives and deals with social networks. The boundaries between each family can be quite different, but parents should not hesitate to moderate the behavior and profile of children online.

And when it comes to risks, not just excessive exposure is included. Deborah also clarifies that once a girl is not playing and having fun – that is, not doing recreational activities during her childhood period – the chance that she will start her sex life earlier and end up experiencing an early pregnancy is much greater. , in addition to the greater possibility of contracting STDs (sexually transmitted diseases).

Career, fame and harassment are interfering with Melody’s development. When cases like this arise, the most coherent thing is to join the legal guardians and find a resolution that is favorable to the child. After all, she is still a child. “The ideal would be to think about what the middle ground would be. She sings, but she has to have a child’s life in parallel to that”, concludes Deborah.