I remember the day when I first heard of the New York Times article about Japan sex dolls. It was a curious article, and it certainly made me sit up and take notice. I remember feeling a little uncomfortable with the thought of a human-like doll – something that literally looks like a person, made for companionship and lovingly named ‘Look at Me’.
I was intrigued by the idea despite some of my initial hesitations. So I read further, and then I was horrified. The dolls are made to look unnervingly like young children, and it seemed to me that these dolls are simply a way for individuals to take advantage of the vulnerable. The idea of preying on those that are young and naïve, simply to gratify someone’s own desires is abhorrent.
So, why would a person buy a child-like sex doll? Well, this is a difficult question to answer. I can speculate that the purchaser is likely seeking something they aren’t comfortable asking an actual person for. Unmet and unacknowledged needs could be a big factor here. And to make matters worse, Penis Rings the dolls are sold in a variety of ‘designs’. There appears to be an infinite amount of child-like dolls to choose from. To me, it felt like entering a twisted world of dolls designed for the pleasure of an adult.
What really got to me was that there are international laws that specifically exist to protect vulnerable peoples, and yet these dolls are still being bought and sold. To me, this implies that the very people that these laws were designed to protect, are being willingly ignored. It’s a heart-breaking thought, and I feel that something ought to be done about this.
But it should also be remembered that the people buying these dolls, could themselves be vulnerable. It’s possible that someone has been let down, hurt, or abused, and they could be trying to replace that through the purchase of a doll. It’s important to remember that these dolls are not just figures of fun, they are items that provide comfort and companionship to someone in need. We should acknowledge the purchaser’s vulnerability too.
The other issue I’d like to touch on is the fact that buying a sex doll for a child-like figure speaks volumes about the underlying attitudes towards young people. It reiterates a message that young people are nothing but sex objects. It reinforces the idea that young people hold no value other than to satisfy someone else’s physical desires. It’s in that moment, when someone purchases a doll such as ‘Look at Me’, that a message is sent out – we are not people, we are playthings.
In my opinion – buying and selling child-like sex dolls, is simply wrong. There’s no other way for me to describe it, and I hope that the international community recognises the severity of this issue. We can not ignore those that are vulnerable, and we can not condone a trade in which human beings are the product.
It’s important to be aware of the issues that arise from Japan’s sex dolls, and the wider implications of their use. We must never forget the real people behind these dolls, the vulnerable people that could be exploited by their sale. We must do whatever we can to protect those that are most in need – otherwise, the end will always surface further down the line.
The whole situation feels surreal to me – there is an entire industry that has sprung up around these dolls. There are websites that will build customised dolls and there are even shops where people can spend time with their purchased doll before taking it home. I find it just heartbreaking to think an individual would buy a doll and take it home, as if it were a real person.
Additionally, I can imagine how detrimental a bought doll could be to the social development of a child. It’s all too easy for the attitude of a doll to be adopted by the young, and create an abhorrent view of how it is acceptable to think and treat people. This is not something that can be taken lightly, and it’s yet another reason why it is so very important to be aware of these types of scenarios and the wider implications they may bring.
The Japan sex doll industry is an uncomfortable one, and I think it’s important to be aware of our own responsibility when it comes to purchases such as these. If we can all play our part – be aware, be kind and make a stand when times are uncertain – then we can be sure that we are protecting the vulnerable, rather than exploiting them.
