Damon Mcknight
Australia has been taking steps to ban child sex dolls, with the State Government of South Australia passing legislation to ban the possession, sale, and manufacture of such dolls. This move comes in response to growing concerns about the normalisation of child sexual abuse and the potential risk these dolls pose to children. Similar steps have been taken in other countries, including the UK, where Amazon removed child sex dolls from its platform, and the US, where a bill was introduced to ban their sale. While some argue that these dolls can serve as a substitute for paedophiles and reduce the rate of child sexual abuse, others, including the Australian Institute of Criminology, have found that they could put children at greater risk by desensitising users to the harm caused by such abuse and normalising abusive behaviour.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| State | Queensland, South Australia |
| Date | 2016, 2019, 2020 |
| Type of ban | Import, possession, production, sale |
| Penalty | 10 years in jail, fines of up to $525,000, 20 years imprisonment in Queensland |
| Reasoning | To prevent child abuse, child exploitation, and normalization of sexual relationships between adults and children |
| Opposition | Prostasia Foundation, doll creator |
| Support | SA Government, SA Best MP Connie Bonaros, Federal Government, South Australian Attorney-General Vickie Chapman |
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What You'll Learn
- Importing child-like sex dolls is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $525,000
- Queensland's doll ban goes further than equivalent bans in Tennessee or Florida
- The Federal Government is moving to ban child-like sex dolls completely
- A petition to ban the importation of child-like sex dolls attracted over 8,500 supporters
- Child-like sex dolls were banned from sale in the UK by Amazon.com Inc
Importing child-like sex dolls is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $525,000
In Australia, importing child-like sex dolls is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $525,000. While the importation of child-like sex dolls is illegal, the possession of such dolls is not explicitly prohibited in all jurisdictions. However, in 2016, a man in NSW was jailed for possessing a child-like sex doll, as a judge ruled that it could be classified as child abuse material.
In 2020, Queensland passed a law imposing a 20-year term of imprisonment on those who supply, produce, or possess sex dolls. This law has been criticised by the Prostasia Foundation, arguing that there is no evidence that banning dolls will reduce sexual abuse. They also highlight the risk of the law being used to harm innocent people.
In South Australia, a bill was introduced by independent MP Connie Bonaros, which passed unanimously in the Upper House with State Government support. This bill makes it a crime to produce, sell, or possess child-like sex dolls, with penalties of up to 10 years in jail. The legislation was a response to the discovery of sex dolls during police child sex investigations and the inability to charge individuals in possession of these dolls.
The Australian government's actions are informed by reports from the Australian Institute of Criminology. While the reports acknowledge the lack of robust evidence, they suggest that child-like sex dolls may lead to societal harms and increase the likelihood of users committing child sexual abuse. The reports also highlight the disturbing nature of these dolls, which are designed to be as lifelike as possible, with tailored options for skin, hair, and eye colour, and even childlike props such as school backpacks or stuffed animals.
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Queensland's doll ban goes further than equivalent bans in Tennessee or Florida
Queensland's ban on sex dolls goes further than equivalent bans in Tennessee or Florida. The Australian state of Queensland could be the first to follow the lead of U.S. states Tennessee and Florida in banning dolls that the government doesn't approve of. However, the Queensland ban goes further as it not only makes it illegal to import a doll that doesn't match the government's specifications but also to be in possession of such a doll or parts to construct one. This means that anyone found supplying, producing, or possessing sex dolls could face up to 20 years in prison.
The justification for the ban has been disputed, with some arguing that there is no evidence that a ban is needed or would reduce sexual abuse. The government claims that a report from the Australian Institute of Criminology found that dolls "may lead to an escalation in child sex offences as they potentially bridge the gap between fantasy and reality and may normalise paedophilic behaviour". However, the report did not find this, and multiple experts agree that there is no evidence to support that assumption.
The ban in Queensland is part of a set of reforms that respond to recommendations made by Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. However, it is important to note that the Royal Commission did not recommend a doll ban.
The debate around banning child-like sex dolls is ongoing, with some arguing that they could put children at greater risk and increase the risk of child sexual abuse. Others argue that there is no evidence to support this claim and that banning these items before research has been done is irresponsible.
In the U.S., a bill to ban child-like sex dolls, the Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots Act (CREEPR Act), has received support but has yet to move in the Senate. Florida and Tennessee are also advancing similar bills, with Tennessee's legislation outlawing child-like sex dolls recently passing unanimously.
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The Federal Government is moving to ban child-like sex dolls completely
The Australian Federal Government is taking steps to completely ban child-like sex dolls. The move comes after a report by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that these dolls could put children at greater risk. Department of Home Affairs figures show that 133 child sex dolls were detected by import authorities between 2013 and 2018.
The Federal Government's decision to ban these items has received support from various state governments. For instance, South Australia's Attorney-General, Vickie Chapman, stated that the Marshall Liberal Government agrees that these abhorrent products should not be on the market.
In addition to the Federal Government's efforts, independent MP Connie Bonaros has been instrumental in pushing for a ban. Bonaros has introduced new legislation in South Australia, which has passed the Upper House and will impose jail terms of up to 10 years for anyone producing, selling, or possessing these dolls. Bonaros has also indicated that she will write to other state governments and Japanese authorities, urging them to crack down on the manufacturing of these items.
The ban on child-like sex dolls in Australia is part of a broader movement to address concerns about the potential harms associated with these dolls. There have been petitions and widespread criticism from individuals and organisations who argue that these dolls normalise sexual relationships between adults and children and may even encourage paedophilic behaviour. However, some experts disagree, stating that there is no evidence that these dolls increase the risk of child sexual abuse.
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A petition to ban the importation of child-like sex dolls attracted over 8,500 supporters
In 2016, a petition was started on Change.org by Mellissa Evans, from Queensland, asking for Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ban the importation of child sex dolls. The petition attracted over 8,500 supporters. The petition targeted the man behind the creation of the dolls, Shin Takagi, who had shipped anatomically-correct rubber dolls that resembled children as young as five years old to paedophiles across the globe.
Takagi, a self-confessed paedophile, claimed that there was no way to change a paedophile's sexual orientation and that the life-like sex dolls acted as a substitute, satisfying their needs so they did not commit crimes against real children. However, those who signed the petition argued that the dolls did not protect children from 'depravity' but instead normalised, excused, and prioritised the interests of criminals.
The Queensland government did propose a ban on child sex dolls, which was passed in September 2020. However, critics argued that the ban was unnecessary and based on a lie, as there was no evidence that it would reduce sexual abuse. The ban imposed a 20-year term of imprisonment on those who supply, produce, or possess sex dolls.
In 2019, the South Australian government also supported a ban on child-like sex dolls, with anyone found possessing, selling, or making the objects facing jail terms of up to 10 years. The Federal Government was also moving to ban the items, with the South Australian Attorney-General Vickie Chapman stating that "these types of abhorrent products should not be on the market in South Australia".
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Child-like sex dolls were banned from sale in the UK by Amazon.com Inc
Child-like sex dolls have been banned from sale in the UK by Amazon.com Inc. after the company faced widespread criticism from watchdogs and children's charities. The charities voiced concerns that the use of such lifelike dolls may cause people to sexually abuse children. Amazon responded by stating that all marketplace sellers must follow their selling guidelines, and those who do not will be subject to action, including the removal of their accounts.
In Australia, the Federal Government is moving to ban child-like sex dolls. In 2019, the South Australian government supported the ban on child-like sex dolls, with the state's attorney general, Vickie Chapman, stating that "these types of abhorrent products should not be on the market in South Australia". Queensland has also banned the dolls, with penalties of up to 20 years' imprisonment for those who supply, produce, or possess them.
The Australian state governments' decisions to ban child-like sex dolls are influenced by concerns over child exploitation and the potential normalization of paedophilic behaviour. The Queensland government references a report from the Australian Institute of Criminology, which suggests that the dolls may lead to an escalation in child sex offences. However, the Prostasia Foundation disputes this claim, arguing that there is no evidence to support the assumption that the dolls increase the risk of child sexual abuse.
The UK's decision to ban the importation and sale of child-like sex dolls aligns with Australia's efforts to address the concerns surrounding these products. The UK Border Force has seized numerous child-like sex dolls since 2016, and a judge ruled that these dolls are obscene items covered by the 1979 Customs and Excise Management Act. Amazon's removal of child-like sex dolls from its marketplace is a significant step in ensuring that these products are not accessible in the UK.
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has banned the import of child sex dolls. The Federal Government is moving to ban the dolls completely. Importing child-like sex dolls is punishable by up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $525,000.
Queensland and South Australia have banned sex dolls. Queensland has imposed a 20-year term of imprisonment on those who supply, produce, or possess sex dolls. In South Australia, anyone found possessing, selling, or making the objects could be jailed for 10 years.
A report by the Australian Institute of Criminology found that child sex dolls could put children at greater risk. The report also found that the dolls could bridge the gap between fantasy and reality for potential paedophiles and desensitize them to the harm caused by child sexual abuse.
