MEDIA, ADVERTISING and

the CULTURAL
CONSIDERATIONS OF
SEXUAL ASSAULT
by
Cierra Olivia Thomas
B.S. in Anthropology/Sociology/Gender Studies
Gender Studies PhD Candidate, Indiana University
Bloomington

EOU Service Learning Projects Coordinator

Cornerstones of Learning Program
 Advertising Statistics
• The United States spends 57% of the worlds’
advertising dollars, yet only makes up 10% of
the world population.
• Americans are exposed to more advertising than
any other population in any other country.
• Every person in the United States is exposed to
more than 15,000 commercial images per day
and will spend three years of her or his life
watching TV commercials.
Pervasive Advertising Themes
DEATH
VIOLENCE & DOMINANCE
SEXUALIZATION
sex & sexuality
submissiveness/thinness
child pornography
1925 Canadian Home Journal

1929 Ladies Home Journal

 T
W
O

H
U
N
D
R
E
YEARS OF CHANGE
D
 Sex
&
Sexuality
Courtesy of: http://about-face.org/index.html
Objectification
 Child
Pornography
Appeared in
Vogue Ninos,
Spain
Courtesy of: http://about-face.org/index.html
The text in this
ad reads:

"Fetish #16:
Apply
generously to
your neck so he
can smell the
scent as you
shake your
head ‘no’.”
Appearing
currently in
Victoria's Secret
Catalogs

Victoria's Secret
Customer Service
P.O. Box 16589
Columbus, OH
43216-6589
TOLL FREE #: 1-
800-888-1500!
“JUNGLE FEVER: This
season designers
dreamed of Africa.”
 VIOLENCE
&
DOMINATION
Image from Elle
Magazine fashion
spread

Editor in Chief
Elle Magazine
1633 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
ph: 212-767-5800
DEATH
Appeared in
Details Magazine

Editor
Details Magazine
632 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
ph. 212-598-3732
fx. 212-598-3774
What
now?
McNamera, Dr.
Kathleen. (1996).
IMPROVING
EATING
BEHAVIOR AND
BODY IMAGE
 What you can do
1. Get an education and talk, talk, talk about it
2. Become an activist
3. Stop buying products and magazines
4. Question the motives of the fashion industry
5. Value your dollars
6. Voice your opinion
7. Be a role model
8. Break the barriers by educating others
9. Watch less TV
10. Value the Earth
11. Love yourself