Istalia

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“Teentime”: the dark underbelly of underage clubbing in Istalia

ISTALIA TODAY | CULTURE & SOCIETY

A journalistic investigation uncovers the dark side of teenagers nightlife: from excess and sexualization to silence, complicity and even prostitution
by Luciano Calboni and Anna Silvani

One of the scandal photos, from one the most well-known romulan nightclub organizing underage-dedicated events

April 5678

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ROMULA - Since the last month, a wave of indignation and concern has shaken the Istalian public opinion following the diffusion of some photographs from one of the most well-known nightclub in the capital. The images, taken during the so-called “Teentime” timeslot, between 7:30 pm and 11:30 pm, now widely adopted by many nightclubs in the country to host minors, have shown a reality far from what one would expect from events dedicated to the underage teens.

Rivers of alcohol, girls in skimpy clothes, almost naked, deafening music, sexual jokes by DJs, even the presence of narcotics. This is the picture that emerges not only from the images, but above all from a journalistic investigation that lasted months, conducted amidst a thousand difficulties by the Corriere d'Istalia's journalists, Luciano Calboni and Anna Silvani. Because behind those strobe lights and glossy selfies there is a world that many pretend not to see, and that too many have an interest in keeping well hidden.

The venues involved in these evenings, which in theory should close with the access reserved only for adults, often do not fully respect the rules: many young people, mostly those aged 15 and over, remain inside the venues well beyond the permitted time, mingling with the adult crowd in the second part of the night. In many establishments the controls are fictitious, or completely absent.

Attempts to document this situation have often come up against insurmountable barriers. At the romulan nightclub, the venue of the photos that went viral, journalists and even worried parents were forcibly removed. Similar scenes are repeated throughout Istalia, where the security of these venues seems to act not so much to protect young people, but to guarantee the opacity of the system.

The investigation also revealed another disturbing aspect: violence among the young people who frequent these evenings. Fights, verbal and physical aggression, even sexual assaults. In many cases, alcohol, soft and hard drugs, and a culturally permissive context act as a fuse. But it would be superficial to stop there.

The finger is not only pointed at nightclubs. Those who end up in the crosshairs of public opinion are also the influencers and creators who speak directly to the young audience, often peers of their followers. Many of them sponsor similar events and venues, propose provocative looks, use language full of sexual double meanings and produce content that follows the style of trashy reality shows focused on erotic and relational dynamics.

The world of music is also implicated: lyrics that exalt excess, hypersexualized video clips, youth idols who become role models, and who often normalize, if not glorify, risky habits.

Finally, the fashion: microscopic miniskirts, tops reduced to strips of fabric, collections "for teenagers" that seem to be designed for adults looking for provocation. "They would make an escort blush!" reads a viral comment on social media about a line of underwear intended for the youngest ones.

What initially seemed like a simple "youthful transgression" is revealing the characteristics of a profound and complex social phenomenon. A generation immersed in a hyper-sexualized context, pushed to grow up too quickly, where the boundary between fun and danger is increasingly thin. Where the models proposed by the media, social media and the entertainment industry seem more oriented towards profit than the well-being of young people.

The situation, however, seems to have far more scandalous implications. The frenzy to appear adult, social pressure and the rush for easy money, often to afford designer clothes, luxury accessories, the latest smartphone model and to show it all off on social media, push many very young people into a dark and dangerous world. Thefts between peers are just the tip of the iceberg, in fact, in some cases, the owners of the discos and clubs involved persuade, in exchange for easy money, young girls to become informal PRs, encouraging them to adopt seductive attitudes to attract other young customers. In the most serious cases, however, some very young girls end up trapped in real circuits of child prostitution, in situations that quickly degenerate into exploitation and violence. A disturbing reality, which is emerging with ever greater frequency, and which often involves adult men, professionals and unsuspected figures in Istalian society.

In the meantime, the debate is heating up: associations of parents, psychologists, educators, and even many young people against these excesses, are starting to make themselves heard. Faced with this picture, we can no longer speak only of a "passing fad" or "adolescent outburst": what emerges is a cultural and social ecosystem that pushes the very young towards extreme behaviors, in the name of appearance, easy profit and conformity to increasingly sexualized and toxic models. One thing is certain: ignoring all this means abandoning the youngest to a night that risks becoming, too soon, truly dark.