Internet, TV, newspaper, magazines, music videos, radio stations, movies, advertisements, and even books are all types of media. Most of the time, we're not even aware the media is affecting our choices and behaviors. We look at an average of 3,000 ads, 100 commercials, and 3 to 4 hours of TV. per day! Some studies indicate the media can shorten attention span, distort body image, create fear, and increase aggressive and anti-social behaviors. It can also cause anorexia, bulimia, low self-esteem, and a host of other problems can result. The media has a big impact on body image the most. The media has created an ideal image of what females and males should look like, especially on females.  1 out 5 women will have an eating disorder. 90% of women and 82% of men are unhappy with their physical appearances and wish their bodies were different. The media has told us who we are and who we should be. When the media advertises a product such as clothing they primarily focus on the model’s attractiveness than the product their trying to sell. When they “advertise” a product they mainly use only one part the body. For example, when a company is trying to sell a pair of jeans the media will focus on the model’s butt rather than the jeans themselves. Women are generally set as an item or object or the product itself is shaped like a women’s body. This effects the expectations that men have regarding how women “should” behave and look. When a woman’s body is used like an object, some men start to think it’s all right to treat them like that object. 1 out of 4 men will abuse their partner in a lifetime! More than 1 million women are stalked by intimate partners every year. A sexual assault occur every 2 ½ minutes in America and 1 out of 6 women have been the victim. Young people are influenced to act like the characters they see on the media; as they say “monkey see monkey do”. The images in our lives affect the reality of our lives.

Statistics

•  More than 1 million women are stalked by intimate partners every year.

•  1 out 5 college females will be the victim of rape or attempted rape.

•  On college campuses, 90% of rape victims know their assailant.

•  A sexual assault occurs every 2 ½ minutes in America.

•  1 out 6 women has been the victim of sexual assault.

•  90% of women and 82% of men are unhappy with their physical appearance and wish their bodies were different.

•  We view 3,000 ads per day.

•  About 95% of people own a TV set and watch an average of 3 to 4 hours per day.

•  1 out of 5 women have an eating disorder.

•  1 out of 4 men will abuse their partner in a lifetime.

The media seek to inform us, persuade us, entertain us, and change us.