Published in Washington Times
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill prohibiting the importation and interstate sale of realistic sex dolls and robots designed to resemble children.
Introduced by Rep. Dan Donovan, New York Republican, the Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots Act of 2017, or “CREEPER Act,” would rein in the sale of so-called “child sex robots” if passed in the Senate and signed into law, putting the U.S. on path to potentially follow Australia and the U.K. in adopting similar measures.
The bill was proposed in December and garnered the support of 33 co-sponsors, nearly all Republicans, prior to being passed by a voice vote Wednesday.
“Right now, a few clicks on a computer can allow a predator to order a vile child sex doll. This is not only disturbing — but also endangers the most innocent among us,” said Mr. Donovan. “Once an abuser tires of practicing on a doll, it’s a small step to move on to a child. My bill takes necessary steps to stop these sickening dolls from reaching our communities.”
Manufactured in Asia and sold at prices ranging from roughly $400 to $10,000, the sex dolls can be custom designed to resemble specific children and “programmed to simulate rape,” House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican, said during Wednesday’s debate.
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The U.K. and Australia previously banned the importation of realistic child sex dolls, said Mr. Goodlatte, and Amazon announced in April that it would prohibit the sale of “anatomically correct child sex dolls,” according to the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.
