Australian sex dolls have become increasingly popular. They are lifelike dolls that look like prepubescent girls and can be dressed in lingerie or fishnet stockings.
Criminologists believe that sex dolls can encourage a pattern of escalation from viewing child pornography to contact sexual offences. They also raise issues of morality and public perceptions of what is right.
Childlike dolls for sale on Alibaba
An online retailer which raked in more than $100 billion in revenue last year is being exposed for selling child-like sex dolls. Campaign group Collective Shout has uncovered multiple listings on the platform and says that some of them are marked as ‘verified’ by Alibaba. Owning a child sex doll is illegal in Australia and can carry serious penalties but the sellers on Alibaba offer shipping to local buyers.
A 43-year-old man from Padstow, NSW has been arrested on suspicion of importing the doll parts. He was allegedly attempting to bring the items into the country in three separate air cargo shipments.
He has been charged with importing a Tier 2 good and will face Hobart Magistrates Court in February next year. ABF officers seized mobile electronic devices from the man that are set to undergo digital forensic examination. They are part of a larger investigation into the importation of the doll parts which is an increasingly prevalent global trend.
Man charged with importing sex doll
A 24-year-old man from Broken Hill has been charged with attempting to import a child-like sex doll and owning another. He appeared in a St John’s courtroom on Monday to defend the charges.
The prosecution alleged that Kenneth Harrisson ordered the life-like doll to represent his infant son who died in his arms 20 years earlier. Under cross-examination, the man told the court that he had no intention of using it in sex acts and did not do any comparative searches on what was available in Canada.
ABF Commander Enforcement East Justin Bathurst said the dolls sexualised children and were not harmless. “It is illegal to possess these dolls and AFP officers will continue to work hard at detecting them at the border,” he said. “They will also prosecute those who try to bring them into the country.” The majority of consignments sent to Australia reportedly come from mainland China, Japan and Hong Kong. The Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 22,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation last year, a 653 per cent increase on the previous financial year.
Man in ’intimate’ relationship with sex doll
A man who describes himself as “in an intimate relationship” with a doll has found it has helped improve his mental health. Rod – not his real name – has a female doll named Karina who he bathes, dresses and pampers. He even has an Instagram account dedicated to her modelling shots. He says he has a much more positive outlook on life since purchasing her and that his partner is ’totally supportive’.
While there is some stigma surrounding guys who buy sex dolls, it’s important to remember that this is a personal choice and it should not be judged. In fact, people are becoming more comfortable embracing their sexuality and doing whatever they feel is best for them, including exploring different forms of physical pleasure.
In addition, the popularity of the sex doll Australia is also likely to have been driven by drivers on Melbourne’s Eastern Freeway who use the dolls to fool traffic cameras and access the faster transit lanes. The firm that makes the dolls has sold out of a lifelike model called Donna as canny motorists discover how to get around road rules.
More than 22,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation
Online child sexual exploitation has surged during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, with predators emboldened by anonymity, the ubiquity of smartphones and knowledge that law enforcement and tech platforms struggle to hold them accountable. The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received just under 14,000 reports of online child abuse last year and more than 22,000 this year.
The IWF identifies and acts on thousands of reports each year to get illegal images removed from image host sites. Its latest report finds a massive spike in self-generated child abuse imagery of 7- to 10-year-olds online. In the first half of 2022, IWF saw a doubling in such content involving this age group compared with the same period in 2020.
Parents and carers can protect children by talking openly with them about the risks of online sexual exploitation, agreeing ground rules for technology use in the home and learning more about the apps, platforms and services that they and their children use. They can also contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 for help and support.