CHILD SEX DOLLS AND ROBOTS: MORE THAN JUST AN UNCANNY VALLEY

摘要

Sexual abuse prevention campaigns teach children that their bodies belong to them, yet they are exposed to contradicting messages in our society, including that children are possessions of their family and disobedience to adults will be punished. Research shows that 55 percent of boys and 70 percent of girls are sexually abused by someone they know (i.e., family, acquaintance). Hence, children whose "relative, neighbor, family friend, teacher, coach, clergyman" is a pedophile are unlikely to resolve these discrepant messages to prevent their own sexual abuse. Consequently, they rely on society to have mechanisms in place to prevent and detect sexual abuse (i.e., child protection services, mandatory reporters) and corresponding laws against child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, and child pornography to protect them. The state has a judicially recognized "interest in preventing the exploitation and sexualization of children" (derived from the parens patriae doctrine) and "to protect children from premature sexual stimulation by adults for the adults' gratification.".