Children are being increasingly exposed to sexual imagery, with parents finding it difficult to stop it, a report for the Home Office said today.

The study, by psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos, said children were being damaged by exposure to sexual and violent images and lyrics on TV. It called for music videos which are “sexually provocative” to be banned before the watershed and for age restrictions to be introduced on “lads’ mags”.

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Dr Papadopoulos said music videos were sexualising girls at a young age and encouraging them to aspire to an unhealthy ideal – but unlike other sexual content were not banned before 9pm.

As well as music videos, the report points to greater exposure of children to sexual and violent content from a younger age – through magazines, advertising, the internet and video games.

The report said: “Music channels and videos across all genres have been found to sexualise and objectify women.

“Women are often shown in provocative and revealing clothing and are depicted as being in a state of sexual readiness.

“Males on the other hand are shown as hyper-masculine and sexually dominant.”

Dr Papadopoulos added that children and young people were not only exposed to increasing amounts of hyper-sexualised images, they were also sold the idea that they have to look “sexy” and “hot”.

The report said magazines aimed at young men also contribute to the problem.

“Lads’ mags contain a high degree of highly sexualised images of women that blur the lines between pornography and mainstream media,” she said.

“The predominant message for boys is to be sexually dominant and to objectify the female body.”

Exposure to sex and violence at a young age can lead to low self esteem, unhappiness with their looks and unhealthy sexual aspirations among young girls, the report said.

Boys are encouraged to aspire to a false “hyper-masculine” ideal, it found.

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said: “We know that parents are concerned about the pressures their children are under at a much younger age, which is why we have already committed to a number of the recommendations in this report.

“Changing attitudes will take time but it is essential.”

By David Burrows