*STRONG CONTENT WARNING
‘Flat chest’, ‘loli’, ‘mini’, ‘young girl’. Up until recently, these were some of the terms used by child sex abuse doll sellers to promote these products on major e-commerce platforms.
Sex abuse doll listings on major e-commerce platforms, 2020
In recent months we’ve documented a change in the language sellers use to list these child exploitation material products. For example, in our year-long investigation of child sex abuse dolls and replica child body parts marketed for men’s sexual use on US platform Etsy, we’ve found that rather than explicit descriptions which indicate that the dolls are modelled off the bodies of children, sellers promote childlike and child-size sex dolls with terms such as “adult” and “full size”.
One listing on Etsy (documented November 2021) featured images of a child-size doll (available for purchase in a range of heights including 100cm and 140cm), with facial features unequivocally modelled off a young girl. Product descriptors included ‘adult’, ‘D cup’, ‘woman’ and ‘girlfriend’.
Others are marketed with children’s paraphernalia - for example - posed in Hello Kitty underwear - and, despite being listed as ‘adult’ dolls - appear to be catering to men’s demand for simulating the rape of young teens.
A listing for ‘Adult sex doll petite size’ offered a choice of 21 different head options. Many appeared to be modelled off young girls.
Childlike, child-size sex doll advertised on Etsy as ‘Adult full size men's sex toy’
Other listings for dolls with child-like features included the term ‘dwarf’ in the description.
An earlier listing combined terms 'lady' and ‘140cm’ - the height of an average 9 year old girl. ‘Adult’ was almost always used to describe the products.
Etsy sex doll listing 2020
Dismembered schoolgirl ‘lower body sex doll’: Etsy incites crimes against girls
We also noted differing descriptions of a child-like mouth marketed for men’s sexual use between April and November 2021. In April, the seller listed the child exploitation material product as ‘Custom Asian Girl Handmade..’. In November 2021 - after we exposed Etsy for selling racialised child exploitation material which fetishises Asian girls and puts them at risk - the seller dropped the term ‘girl’ from the listing. (Note: ‘Mature’ in Etsy listings indicates products intended for adults.)
‘Asian girl’ mouth marketed for men’s sexual use - Etsy listings April vs November 2021
Under Australian Federal legislation criminalising childlike sex dolls, the presence of one or more ‘adult’ features does not exclude dolls from being identified as child sex dolls. The Combatting Child Sexual Exploitation Legislaton Amendment Bill 2019 explains:
Child-like sex dolls vary in facial appearance, proportions, height, size and functionality. A doll or other object may be captured by this paragraph despite possessing one or more adult features, for example developed breasts or make-up. Consideration should be given to the characteristics of the doll in its entirety, including its functionality, proportionality, physical features and anything else that provides context to the purpose and age resemblance of the doll.
Although illegal, Australian Border Force has reported a 653% increase in seizures of child sex abuse dolls in the past two years.
Online feminist news site 4W recently published an article exposing the tactics child sex abuse doll sellers - and buyers - are using to dodge export and import restrictions and law enforcement. The article references a discussion thread on the website of a Netherlands-based manufacturer and seller of toddler and baby sex abuse dolls, Bram Joosten.
In the thread - titled “How not to get arrested” - Joosten recommended customers order dolls with detachable adult breasts to circumvent child sex abuse material laws.
In a separate thread, Joosten offered a quote to a prospective customer wanting to order a penetrable doll modelled off an image of a real toddler.
Watch: Trends and impacts of child sex abuse dolls - Campaigns Manager + PhD candidate Caitlin Roper at ECPAT Taiwan, November 2021
It appears to us that Etsy’s child exploitation material sellers and buyers are also trying to evade detection.
We’re calling on Etsy to ban these sellers completely - and to stop profiting from all merch that eroticises and normalises child sexual abuse. Sign and share the petition here.
See also
Media Release: Strong action against sex dolls by e-commerce giant Alibaba
Petition to Etsy: Stop selling incest and child abuse themed merch!
Our investigation exposing Etsy for selling child sex abuse dolls
Sex Dolls contribute to violence against women: Caitlin Roper on Justice Hope Freedom Podcast
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