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Child-like sex dolls are being stopped at Australia’s border. They could be an early child protection warning (theconversation.com)
submitted 1 week ago by to c/australia@aussie.zone
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Importing these products is illegal. Possession is also a Commonwealth offence carrying a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.

Available figures indicate the scale is significant, but difficult to track consistently. The Department of Home Affairs recorded 103 detections in 2020–21, 88 in 2021–22 and 29 in 2022–23.

An Australian Institute of Criminology review called for more research in the area, but identified plausible risks involved with owning them, including desensitisation, sexual objectification of children, escalation and use in grooming.

The appropriate response is therefore neither to dismiss these objects as harmless fantasy nor to treat possession as automatic proof of future offending. It’s to recognise them as potential risk indicators that may justify investigation.

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[–] 15 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Mixed feelings with this one.

Offenders belong behind bars—so far, so clear. But what do we do with people who haven’t committed any crimes so far? Do we temporarily lock them up for life because of their sexual orientation? That seems to me to be a very dangerous path, both because it drives these people into hiding and because we know where the persecution of sexual orientations has led—and, with fascism on the rise worldwide, where it will lead.

The most effective way to protect children and actually prevent crimes would be to give these people the opportunity to come out and work out ways to live with their orientation (which, like all other sexual orientations, they did not choose) without becoming offenders. However, I doubt that we as a society are ready for that… your comment on this platform itself reinforces my skepticism.

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  • [–] [S] 10 points 1 week ago (3 children)

    Some people who have sexual thoughts about children and are worried about it can get support if they don't want to carry out sexually damaging behaviours towards children, e.g. https://bravehearts.org.au/get-help/for-those-concerned-about-their-thoughts/

    There also are people who do not want to get support and want to continue activities which exploit children.

    I don't know if it is agreed by medical and psychological experts that paedophilia is an orientation or not. Some people who have these desires, etc, were abused themselves as children and so there is trauma-based acting out. Other people do not respond this way. The whole situation is complex but the safety of children must be the first consideration.

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  • [–] 6 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Some people who have these desires, etc, were abused themselves as children and so there is trauma-based acting out.

    That's right—it's probably not black and white again, but rather a spectrum of causes that can lead to this behavior. Especially when it comes to trauma-driven actions, there may be a chance to achieve something through treatment or therapy... provided that those affected are willing to come forward and cooperate.

    I don't know if it is agreed by medical and psychological experts that paedophilia is an orientation or not.

    I don't know either... but given that, not too long ago, homosexuality and other sexual orientations were still viewed either as illnesses requiring treatment and/or as conscious choices and therefore punishable by law, I'm cautious about making a moral judgment on sexual orientation itself for now.

    The whole situation is complex but the safety of children must be the first consideration.

    Absolutely!

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    The difference (ringing bells) between this and other sexual orientations like homosexuality is that those are focused on other adults and people can make their own decisions (under normal circumstances where people are free to choose). Sexual desire towards children means that adults focus on children who do not have the maturity to make a decision about their involvement nor the means to protect themselves if they are assaulted or abused against their will in some way.

    I can imagine that people using child-like sex dolls would also indulge in child pornography and this in itself is child abuse and horrific for the children who have been exploited.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Sexual desire towards children means that adults focus on children who do not have the maturity to make a decision about their involvement nor the means to protect themselves if they are assaulted or abused against their will in some way.

    Absolutely, which is why living out this orientation cannot and must not be up for debate.

    But if I assume that our goal as a society is the protection of children, there are only two options for individuals with this orientation (since, as I said, sexual orientations do not appear to be either illnesses or conscious choices... otherwise, 2,000 years of violent persecution would surely have ensured that everything non-heteronormative would have been eradicated by now, to put it bluntly):

    The individual can either try to suppress the urge (which probably works more or less well in the case of monks… but as a layperson, I estimate the risk of relapse over a lifetime to be very high when living as part of everyday society) or suitable outlets or coping mechanisms must be found to avoid acting on this inclination.

    The latter seems to me to be the more sensible approach, since it (again, in my opinion as a layperson, though I believe this can also be psychologically substantiated) carries a lower risk of relapse. The latter is made significantly easier if the affected individual can seek professional help… which becomes less likely when the topic is treated as taboo and stigmatized.

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  • [–] [S] 3 points 1 week ago

    As I point out elsewhere on this thread, there is help available if people want it and it can start anonymously, e.g. see https://bravehearts.org.au/

    Even calling LIfeline, people can get information on what services are available. Professional help IS AVAILABLE. The more adults realise this the more they can find their own healing and the more children will be spared.

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  • [–] 3 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    I don't know if it is agreed by medical and psychological experts that paedophilia is an orientation or not. Some people who have these desires, etc, were abused themselves as children and so there is trauma-based acting out. Other people do not respond this way. The whole situation is complex but the safety of children must be the first consideration.

    The general work for this is the DSM5, which lays out pedophilic disorder on page 697-701, where it is classified as a paraphilia and a disorder, classified alongside other conditions that involve some sort of bypassing of normal consent processes (ie paraphilias involving objects or extreme violence, etc)

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  • [–] -1 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Hi there. Are we saying that adults who has sexual orientation towards children is "normal" or "born that way, they cant choose to be otherwise"?

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  • [–] 2 points 1 week ago

    If we posed this as would it make you consider a different opinion?

    Are we saying that adults who has sexual orientation towards the opposite sex is “normal” or “born that way, they cant choose to be otherwise”?

    Are we saying that adults who has sexual orientation towards animals is “normal” or “born that way, they cant choose to be otherwise”?

    Are we saying that adults who has sexual orientation towards the elderly is “normal” or “born that way, they cant choose to be otherwise”?

    This is not a comparison, defense or an endorsement. Its just a matter saying we accept some arguments vrs others. Call it a condition/wrong, a affliction the word is irreverent, it exists and it needs to be studied and treat. How can something be removed as a threat if we know nothing about it.

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  • [+] -6 points 1 week ago (1 child)

    Do we temporarily lock them up for life because of their sexual orientation?

    Yes and throw away the fucking key.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 week ago

    Ahh, yes. because that certainly results in less harm. Guess what sex offenders are more likely do to kids if they think they are going to jail forever anyway and don't want any evidence?? The anger is understandable but unhelpful If we really care methodically about keeping kids safe.

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