A group of Wisconsin state legislators introduced a joint piece of legislation Monday that would outlaw child sex dolls in the state.
The bill, proposed by Rep. Joy Goeben, Rep. Ty Bodden, and Sen. Jesse James, would make it a felony offense for any person in the state to possess any “child sex doll,” defined in the bill as “an anatomically correct doll, mannequin, or robot, with features that resemble a minor that is intended for use in sex acts,” or any other sexually-related behaviors.
The legislation, if adopted, would join several similar laws across the states, including in Florida, South Dakota, Arizona, Tennessee, and Hawaii. Additionally, federal legislation on the subject (dubbed the “Creeper Act”) has been awaiting action in the House of Representatives
since as early as 2017.
The bill outlines penalties ranging from three-and-a-half years for a first offense, six years for a second offense or first offense involving three or more dolls, and 10 years for a third or later offense. If the doll resembles a specific minor, a first offense sentence could be up to 15 years, or up to 25 years for a second or later offense.
“The chances of harm coming to a real child because of these dolls is very real – it is not a victimless crime simply because it is a doll,” Goeben said in a press release.
While some have voiced support for the legislation, some defend the dolls on the basis that they help protect children. The Prostasia Foundation, for example, describes itself as “a child protection organization” that combines its fight against child sexual abuse with a “commitment to human and civil rights and sex positivity,” according to its website. It partners with the “MAP Support Club” which is a “peer support group for minor-attracted people (MAPs).”
“Don’t let emotional scare tactics win out over sound science,” the foundation said in a blog about a similar ban in South Dakota.
According to a recent survey conducted by the National Library of Medicine, there is no substantial evidence that child sex dolls help dissuade the sexual abuse of children at this time.
Follow MRCTV on Twitter!
Students Sue Michigan Professor For Charging Fees To Fund Her Social Activist Group https://t.co/TEBWFBK0qE
— MRCTV (@mrctv) May 26, 2023