Tia

Couldn't agree more!

GlitaBO D" ont u be worrying too much these things come and go . Wait for the next one !!!! Thats what happens with these type of people

I was at a motorcycle racing event today, and in the crowd there was a little girl, surely no more than about 8 or 9 at the most, who was wearing quite a bit of eye makeup and lipstick - all of which had been quite expertly applied, by the look of things. The high-heeled sandals and shorts finished off the effect. Don't like to see it, I have to say.

I'm not sure how new the sexualisation of young girls is. I remember once seeing a Pears soap advert from the 40s or 50s with a young girl of about 8 or 9, looking very beautiful and woman-like, in a provocative pose.

I agree it's worrying.

I'm with you on that one green

Petallus I don't think it was that common in the sixties. I remember my fronds and I having great battles with our parents over wearing nylons (13) and lipstick(14).
I had to discover eyeliner for myself (16) !!

I have a couple of old framed Pears adverts and I think both of them could be termed as provocative, really. I don't like to think of them as so, because I quite like them. One is of the back view of a little girl getting into a bath after 'having forgotten her Pears', and the other is of a little girl showing her knickers a bit, though at this time (30's I think), the knickers were quite far down her legs. However, innocence and sexualisation can be confused depending on the circumstances.

Children have always been sexualised by adults but I would hope that now we are more enlightened, they would receive more protection. If I hear one more adult compliment their young child by calling them sexy, I'll scream.

Women harming children is common, just hidden more in behaviour like rough personal care or neglect by taking risks and leaving them to fend for themselves. Unfortunately grandmothers do hurt their grandchildren, and our indignation about things like female genital mutilation must look hypocritical to those grandmothers who defend this practice and probably think we should get our own house in order first.

I really don't think that's a fair comparison, when. There are probably grandmothers in societies where female genital mutilation is practised who also harm their grandchildren in other ways - it isn't just a western phenomenon.

I didn't say it was just a western phenomenon Anagram. I was talking about how vocal we are in castigating others.

Well, yes - human nature isn't it? Probably the same the world over.

Agreed Anagram

I remember going to a school concert in the village and finding the proceedings somewhat distasteful - girls of about 9 and 10 dressed in tight boob tubes gyrating in a provocative way to pop music. Quite a few of the parents were unhappy about it.
We seem to have an instinctive distaste for the early sexualisation of children.

A propos dysfunctional families. My DS1 pointed out that our own dear Queen had one that was probably even worse than our own!

RIP poor Tia.

When something like this happens how many think that for all the advances and advantages to most working families in the past century, we have become, if anything, more cruel? Or careless?

It's natural for little girls to want to dress up in grown-up clothes; what I don't understand is why their adults encourage it (apart from the dressing-up box). What I find al ost equally depressing is the infantilisation of grown-up women. I shall be so pleased when little frills and flounces and little smocks and girly slogans on spangly Tshirts go out of fashion. All part of the same confused phenomenon, I think.

I have to agree there, Lilygran - mixed messages all round!

How hard it is to find nightwear without silly pictures or captions on them. I really don't want a nightie wit 'forever friends' on it. Sainsbury's supplied the needful last week.

merlotgran I would never defend a 'low life' as you call him. Watching his interview it was obvious what he was - the Sun online says he is convicted crack dealer. Don't know if I am kidding myself but there is a 'druggy look' which I see and avoid like the plague when out and about and he has it. I am concerned about the way other family and the wider community are treated by the media.

I saw a pic of the grandmother's boyfriend and agree he has that certain look about him. He may be a crack dealer but that doesn't mean that we should automatically assume he killed Tia.

Problem is, with him being a 'low life' (I don't like that term) he is not going to get the same benefit of the doubt as someone higher up the social scale.

Incidentally, there is a lot of hard drug use in the upper classes (as we know from recent events reported in the media).

You're right there, Petallus. Plenty of professionals are poly drug users, and many doctors, anaesthetists, dentists etc (not our jeni she's high on life!)

Do we really think there's going to be a problem, though, petallus? Somehow I can't see him denying it.

Yes petallus I agree about the drug use and also if the Sun had reported he was a convicted arms dealer or international bank fraudster or even if the drug was not crack but something like just straight cocaine, a good middle class drug of choice, (all of which wreak mayhem and misery) then the image of him would be different again. I am not defending him - he may or may not be guilty as indeed may the gran.

I must confess that the picture of the grandma being escorted away from her house just about confirmed every class prejudice I could possibly be guilty of. My main impression was that a Rottweiler would complete the picture. What does that say about me?

That you're much like the rest of us, I would hazard, Annobel

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