"Rape and child sexual abuse are not prevented with men practising on child sex abuse dolls": Our report for the United Nations Special Rapporteur
"Men’s sexual entitlement to the bodies of children must be challenged, not accommodated."
In December last year, were invited to join other child protection representatives in a roundtable consultation at RMIT in November with the UN Special Rapporteur on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children, Ms. Mama Fatima Singhateh, as part of her country visit to Australia to learn more on the risks facing Australian children and young people.
Movement Director Melinda Tankard Reist gave evidence, speaking on the negative influence of pornography, how it operated as a grooming tool, and was contributing to a rise in harmful sexual behaviours in young people. Campaigns Manager Caitlin Roper, who wrote a book on sex dolls, prepared a submission on the trade in child sex abuse dolls. You can read it below.
Read moreNo evidence child sex abuse dolls prevent abuse: Our response to viral video
A video posted to Twitter featuring comments from a US senator defending child sex abuse dolls has gone viral.
In the video, Kentucky state senator Karen Berg claimed that there was “conclusive” research finding access to child sex abuse dolls could prevent paedophiles sexually abusing children.
This is false. I’ve been researching sex dolls and child sex abuse dolls for years, and I’ve written a book on the topic. “Conclusive” evidence that child sex abuse dolls reduce or prevent sexual abuse does not exist. (And I reject that claim completely.) 🧵
— Caitlin Roper (@caitlin_roper) March 2, 2024
vid - @way2muchJRMC pic.twitter.com/WjIWvoJGis
The video attracted significant negative attention, with the senator issuing a statement in response – and ultimately, voting in support of a motion to outlaw child sex abuse dolls.
So what does the research say about child sex abuse dolls? (Content warning - may be distressing for some readers.)
Read moreWhy are you against child sex abuse dolls and virtual/AI porn depicting children? Isn’t it better that predators use these than sexually abuse real children?
In Australia, this material is illegal. The Commonwealth Criminal Code prohibits the sale, production, possession and distribution of offensive and abusive material that depicts a person, or is a representation of a person, who is or appears to be under 18.
While some people defend the use of virtual child sexual abuse material or child sex abuse dolls as “victimless”, these products serve to normalise and legitimise men’s sexual use and abuse of children. As the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale and sexual exploitation of children notes, this material “may encourage potential offenders and increase the severity of the abuse…the objectification of children comforts offenders in their actions.”
A 2019 report by the Australian Institute of Criminology concluded not only that there was no evidence child sex abuse dolls could prevent abuse, but that they could increase the risk of child sexual abuse by desensitising users, bridging the gap between fantasy and reality and could be used to groom children.
In her book Sex Dolls, Robots and Woman Hating Campaigns Manager Caitlin Roper documents a growing number of cases where men found in possession of child sex abuse dolls are sexually offending against children in additional ways. Some incorporate children into their doll use, and commission dolls made in the likeness of children known to them.
There is no evidence that having access to ‘virtual’ or AI CSAM, or replica children to practice sexual abuse, prevents child sexual abuse. Rather, it encourages it.
Adelaide man charged for possessing child exploitation material and child-like sex abuse doll
Australian authorities have charged a man, 41, from Adelaide’s northern suburbs with allegedly possessing child abuse material, multiple firearms offences, and for allegedly importing a child-like sex abuse doll.
Read moreChild s*x abuse dolls found on ecommerce platform Shopee
Ecommerce platform Shopee was recently exposed for selling child sex abuse dolls, some even in school uniform.
Read moreEtsy locks down search terms - but we need to keep the pressure up
Update from petition starter Anna Cordell
E-commerce giant Etsy appears to have blocked search terms related to child sex abuse dolls.
Read moreChild abuse material and child abuse doll seized, man arrested
Collective Shout have been campaigning to have child sex abuse dolls removed from online platforms such as Etsy, Twitter and Alibaba. As in the case below, many in possession of the prohibited child abuse dolls are also found to have other child abuse material in their possession.
Broken Hill man arrested and charged following alleged importation of child-like sex doll
A 24-year-old Broken Hill man has been arrested and charged by New South Wales Police after an Australian Border Force (ABF) investigation into an alleged attempt to import a child-like sex doll.
The life-like doll was detected by ABF officers in Sydney, who were examining air cargo at the border.
On 25 May 2023, ABF Investigators and NSW Police executed Customs Act 1901 search and seizure warrants on a premises in Broken Hill, NSW.
During the search, officers located additional prohibited material including a further child-like sex doll along with what is alleged to be child abuse material on a number of mobile phones, laptops and hard drives that were seized as evidence.
Read moreCollective Shout works with social media platforms in mass child sex abuse doll take down
Update: 71 accounts now gone from Twitter.
*Content warning*
We are celebrating a big win with more child sex abuse doll promoters being removed from the platform. Collective Shout have been instrumental in bringing these accounts to the attention of Twitter heads who then have fast tracked the process of suspending the accounts.
Read morePlease DM me with a few of the user handles.
— Ella Irwin (@ellagirwin) April 7, 2023