The possession of child-like sex dolls could be banned in England and Wales under proposed draft legislation.
Liberal Democrat Munira Wilson is seeking to close what she describes as a “dangerous” legislative loophole through the move.
Her private member’s Bill aims to prevent sexual harm and disrupt behaviours that may indicate or facilitate a sexual interest in children.
While owning a child-like sex doll is currently not an offence in the UK, those importing them can be convicted under the Customs Consolidation Act 1876.
In 2017, former school governor and church warden David Turner was jailed for 16 months after importing a 3ft child sex doll from China.
When officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) searched his address in Ramsgate, Kent, they located two additional child sex dolls.
open image in galleryForensic analysis of his computers, external hard drives and pen drives revealed he had downloaded more than 34,000 indecent images of children.
Child-like sex dolls “normalise and legitimise adult sexual behaviour with children”, Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a child protection charity, said.
“Although some might suggest they prevent people from harming real children, in reality using them can reinforce sexual fantasies about children and sexual interactions with people who cannot consent,” director Stuart Allardyce said.
The Child-like Sexual Abuse Dolls (Offences) Bill would bring the possession of a doll on par with possessing indecent images of children, Ms Wilson said.
The MP for Twickenham said that she is “disgusted and horrified that these things exist” but we “mustn’t be squeamish about tackling this issue head-on”.
She said: “At the moment, somebody who’s just been found with a doll can’t be tracked in any way, and they won’t be on the sex offenders register or anything like that.
“Whereas if they’re found with indecent images, then obviously they can be flagged up. But if the only thing you know about them is that they’ve got a doll, then you’re quite hampered in what you can do as a police force.”
open image in galleryUnder the draft law, police will be able to seize the dolls and offenders who are found guilty could face prison time as well as monitoring.
The Bill, which is scheduled to have its second reading in the House of Commons on 4 September, would need the support of the government to become law.
The dolls being sold are mainly girls, with some “as small as babies”, Ms Wilson said.
“They can be custom made, so made to order with certain specifications.”
Ms Wilson said that the Bill is drafted to include any doll which “resembles a child or any part of a child”, to prevent perpetrators getting around the proposed law.
She said that some people are “ordering bits of dolls and then putting them together” to avoid prosecution under existing laws.
open image in galleryMs Wilson, who is the Lib Dem education, children and families spokesperson, said: “It’s a horrendous issue to work on, to talk about, to investigate, and people have said to me… ‘do you really want to be named for this issue?’
“One of the reasons I’m in Parliament is to protect and make life better for children, and this is clearly a dangerous gap that we’ve got in our legislation.”
Mr Allardyce, of the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, said: “For those who are concerned about their sexual thoughts or behaviours towards children, there are ways of managing those thoughts so they do not lead to risk to children.
“Anyone concerned can find confidential and non-judgmental support through our Stop It Now website, self-help programme and anonymous helpline, and for young people, our Shore website and anonymous chat service.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “These dolls are vile, and it’s right they should be banned and removed from sale.
“We are already taking action to stop their distribution, helping protect children from predatory threats in the future.”
If you are a child and you need help because something has happened to you, you can call Childline free of charge on 0800 1111. You can also call the NSPCC if you are an adult and you are worried about a child, on 0808 800 5000. The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac) offers support for adults on 0808 801 0331.