So saddened

[Firebox64]

I bought a newspaper in my local independent newsagent yesterday morning. Up on the shelf, but not particularly out of eye line was a set of soft porn magazines including one labelled "100s of Teen Girls Naked Just For You." I stood for a long moment, knowing exactly what would happen if I objected, and then I thought, I can't walk past this. I said to the shop keeper that I thought it wasn't very nice to be selling something like that. The response was aggressive and nonsensical of course, and ended with shouted insults that I am a child and need to grow up. (I am 60.) Grow up...like those teens?

All advice is that this material is not illegal. Neither are knives: how's that going?

There is an obvious slobbery implication here about underage sex. Does anyone know if there is any organisation or campaign that is working to ban this kind of sewage?

I have put a post on the community facebook page, I've contacted my very wonderful MP and I've written to the Chamber of Commerce and Trading Standards. I 'phoned 101 for advice and they said contact the publisher - yes, that's really going to work isn't it?

I was privileged to work with brilliant young people for the whole of my career. I cannot bear to see this perverted view of them being sold as legal merchandise. Any (legal!) suggestions about anything else I could do would be so welcome.

AIBU - this is legal and we just have to put up with it?

What did you think the police could do?

You phoned the police??

I've no idea what you can do but it's disgusting and sordid and shouldn't be allowed.

Did you phone the police to report the magazine or the aggressive shop keeper?

I 'phoned to get advice about what the best response would be, knowing that this is not a criminal offence.

I don't think you can do anything, except strongly recommend people boycott the newsagents - could you also do something like a local petition so you can show the newsagent owner what's driving the change in trade?

At the end of the day they'll be driven by how much money they're taking, so if there's enough support locally to 'hit them where it hurts' they may stop selling those magazines.

Thank you for supportive and responses and advice: these are also coming through on the community Facebook page. Oh, and the man who can't see what the problem is because sex is legal at 16...

Yep, consumer boycott. I don’t imagine the shop is profiting very much. Most of this type of material is online for free, or can be bought more easily from various platforms.

Kids coming in shouldn’t see this kind of thing normalised.

There has always been porn on the top shelf. At least its not in the park bushes like it was in the 80s and 90s.

Well done for trying to raise this, it’s completely disgusting.

I recently listened to a podcast on Pornhub and their utter failure to police child pornography, my god that site is appalling.

OP, I understand your frustration, it's quite sad that this stuff has been totally normalised. Porn and porn culture is so much more visible and accessible now.

I remember having a discussion/argument about the availability of stuff like that with a guy around my age (40) a few years ago, and he was very dismissive of any concerns - and then I said something like 'what if it was showing/ implying loads of naked teen boys' - well his face dropped, he was disgusted, I could almost hear him thinking 'ew'.

And not just because he's not attracted to men, it's like he never thought of that kind of stuff, because men aren't really confronted with this like we are. They don't think of or see, or really care I suppose, how damaging things like this are to young women to see everywhere.

I don't know what you can do about it, but I would be as equally appalled as you. I've always been uncomfortable about the age of consent being 16, especially in relationships where a large age gap makes for a power imbalance.

I actually thought of age of consent was older for some reason.

In reality, the women appearing in these magazines will probably be older, but just airbrushed or made to look like teenagers. Which is so creepy - I remember being hit on by older men when I was in my school uniform, it was horrible.

I agree, it doesn't improve the argument much but it's probably true the models are older and being made to look younger. That speaks volumes about those buying these magazines, doesn't it?

I too a saddened.

What a culture where this is both normalised and legal.

I hope your social media campaign leads to a boycott - hit him in the pocket. His aggressive response is entirely inappropriate.

So you wasted police time knowing full well it had nothing to do with the police? The police are not there as some kind of advice line!

I spoke to the police for 6 minutes. Is that all right with you?

No, it’s not actually. People need to stop picking up the phone to police for things that are not a police matter. You might think it’s only “6 minutes” but it’s 6 minutes you stopped an operator actually helping someone who needed the police for a police matter.

A community based approach is good. I also think contacting your MP was a wise move. Do you know the publisher? I would certainly contact them. Perhaps post on the Feninust board as there are knowledgeable posters there involved in campaign work.

There is a newsagents near us that sells that stuff. I refuse to go in there and go in one of the others instead.
"teen girls" is particularly vile. And clearly of interest to a particular sort of urgh man.

"Teen" porn has been one of the most popular categories for a long time. I'd be very surprised if any man who watches porn hasn't watched at least one video in this category. See also "barely legal". Other very popular categories are "Japanese" and "Hentai". My guess is these categories are popular because young Japanese women are often considered to look younger than they are, and if you look up Hentai you'll see that the animations show what look like young girls.

OP, what is your aim? To ban the magazine, or to ban the category altogether? I don't think you'll be able to do anything about the magazine because the publisher will say the title is referring to 18 and 19 years olds. The category will never be banned because the fantasy of the underage girl (and sadly in many cases, the reality) is never going to go away. It's horrible, but this is why I'm single.

@Nicknacky Given the police spend an estimated 60,000 hours annually on Non Crime Hate Incidents I can’t get too wound up about a 6 minute conversation relating to the sexual exploitation of teenage girls.

This is the trouble. It’s nothing important, only girls. The ones on display, and the ones who see those images being legally traded and learn that’s what they themselves are worth, and the ones later abused by the boys who also learnt that’s what girls are for …

Nothing important.

@Firebox64 have you thought about possibly advertising standards authority? I know its not an 'advertisement' but perhaps the Title and the situation where the magazine was located may be of interest to them or they could point you in the right direction?

Thank you for all the supportive comments as you all know very well the “mad old bint” response I experienced. I am heartened to know there are so many of us out there who simply think this is wrong. It would be beyond likelihood that we could shut down the industry (although God bless the Girl Guides) but if it could wither on the vine through lack of sales, that would be a result. I will withdraw from our conversation now but am much cheered to know you’re all out there standing with me.