Girls need to know they are not objects

Media expert and Catholic talk show host Teresa Tomeo has published a timely new book challenging the over-sexualisation of girls in today's society.

Tomeo is alarmed by the findings of a recent study by Knox College in Illinois, which found that girls as young as six years old want to be "sexy".

"Studies such as this show the immense need for materials that can teach girls and women that they are not objects," Tomeo says.

"It's shocking such young girls think that in order to be accepted and loved they must degrade themselves, but it's not surprising given the toxic and over-sexualised culture in which we live."

She has just released Wrapped Up: God's Ten Gifts for Women to help girls see their worth in something more valuable than external appearances.

The book offers a healthy alternative to the false messages young girls and women are growing up hearing today.

She and co-author Cheryl Dickow explore ten life-giving gifts, such as forgiveness and God's love, that lead to peace and fulfilment while helping women unwrap their true feminine genius.

"Women everywhere and of all ages need to know how much they are loved by God and how they are made in his image and likeness," Tomeo writes in a blog post.

"As I say in Wrapped Up, just taking this one concept concerning God's love to heart would make such a difference."