Women find descriptions in lads' mags more demeaning than those from convicted rapists, say psychologists



Descriptions of women used in men's magazines are indistinguishable from views expressed by convicted rapists, researchers found in a new study.



When presented with quotes from both, some men actually found themselves identifying more with the views of the sex offender than those espoused by the magazines, it was found.



Psychologists say that the study highlights the danger of the sexualisation of women in the media and called for moves to deal with the issue.

Derogatory quotes: Some men surveyed related more to quotes made by sex offenders than the demeaning remarks from the lads' mags

In the study, men aged between 18 and 46 were shown quotes about women from leading lads' mags FHM, Loaded, Nuts and Zoo.



They were also given quotes made in interviews with convicted rapists.



They were then asked which comments they identified most with, with the majority choosing those made by the rapists rather than the magazine.

After being told which quotes were from lads' mags the surveyed men said they identified more with these - even when they were misled and the quotes were actually from rapists.



In a separate group, including women, the participants were asked to rank the comments on how derogatory they were.



The results found the magazine descriptions more demeaning than those from the sex offenders, reports the British Psychological Society's British Journal of Psychology.



One of the quotes from the sex offenders list included: ‘I think if a law is passed there should be a dress code. When girls dress in those short skirts and things like that they're just asking for it.'



The results found the magazine descriptions more demeaning than those from the sex offenders

While the lads’ mags included: ‘Girls love being tied up, it gives them the chance to be the helpless victim.’



‘I think girls are like plasticine, if you warm them up you can do anything you want with them.’



Dr Peter Hegarty, of the University of Surrey, added: ‘There is a fundamental concern that the content of such magazines normalises the treatment of women as sexual objects.



‘We are not killjoys or prudes who think that there should be no sexual information and media for young people.



‘But are teenage boys and young men best prepared for fulfilling love and sex when they normalise views about women that are disturbingly close to those mirrored in the language of sexual offenders?’



Dr Miranda Hovarth, of Middlesex University, added: ‘There is clearly something wrong when people feel the sort of language used in a lads' mag could have come from a convicted rapist.



‘We were surprised that participants identified more with the rapists' quotes, and we are concerned that the legitimisation strategies that rapists deploy when they talk about women are more familiar to these young men than we had anticipated.’



She said that despite recent moves to place the magazines on the top shelf this didn't address the concerns of the researchers.



'Editors should do more to moderate the content', she said.

Experts question: 'Are teenage boys and young men best prepared for fulfilling love and sex when they normalise views about women' based on these lads' mags

She explained: ‘A lot of debate around the regulation of lads' mags has been to do with how they affect children but less has been said about the influence they have on their intended audience of young men and the women with whom those men socialise.



‘These magazines support the legitimisation of sexist attitudes and behaviours and need to be more responsible about their portrayal of women, both in words and images.



‘They give the appearance that sexism is acceptable and normal - when really it should be rejected and challenged.



‘Rapists try to justify their actions, suggesting that women lead men on, or want sex even when they say no.’



Anna van Heeswijk, Campaigns Manager for OBJECT, a human rights campaign group which campaigns against the objectification of women, said: ‘This crucial and chilling piece of research lays bare the hateful messages which seep out of lads' mags and indoctrinate young men's attitudes towards women and girls.



‘When the content of magazines aimed at teenage boys mirrors the attitudes of convicted rapists, alarm bells must ring.

