BERLIN (AP) 鈥� The Swedish government promised on Friday to fight the sale of childlike sex dolls online after instances of such commerce had been reported earlier in the country.
鈥淚 think I react on behalf of all parents when I say that, as a mother, your heart really breaks watching these images and pictures of these dolls,” Sweden鈥檚 Minister for Social Services, Camilla Waltersson Gr枚nvall, told The Associated Press.
The Swedish government wants 鈥渢o make sure these products cannot any more be sold and bought anywhere,鈥� she said.
She spoke after a meeting which the Swedish government convened on Friday 鈥渋n response to several notable cases of e-commerce companies selling childlike sex dolls,鈥� according to a statement by her ministry. Child protection groups, online vendors and government agencies participated.
The online platforms described the measures they are taking to make sure these kinds of products are no longer sold online, Waltersson Gr枚nvall said.
Asked whether the ministry considers those measures sufficient, Waltersson Gr枚nvall said: 鈥淚 have been very clear that we will follow this very closely and we will not hesitate to take further action, which might involve further legislation if that is considered necessary.鈥�
She said the government was preparing a strategy on protecting children from violence, which included steps to prevent sexual and online abuse.
The online sale of the disputed dolls in Sweden came to the public’s attention after the child protection group ChildX filed a police report against Amazon and several other e-commerce platforms earlier this month over the sale of sex dolls with a clear childlike appearance.
鈥淭he products, approximately one meter in length, are often dressed in school uniforms and marketed in a sexualized context,鈥� the group said. 鈥淪wedish legislation prohibits material that portrays children in a sexualized manner. The sale or distribution of lifelike child-like sex dolls may thus fall under criminal provisions related to child sexual exploitation.鈥�
ChildX Secretary General Ida 脰stensson, also speaking by phone to the AP, said that 鈥渙ur police complaint against Amazon and other sites for selling child-like sex dolls, together with public advocacy, led to the removal of these listings on Amazon.鈥�
鈥淲e are taking this step because these products are designed to sexualize children,鈥� said 脰stensson. 鈥淭heir open sale and marketing fuel a culture that normalizes the sexual abuse of children. This is unacceptable. Children should never be commodified for sexual purposes.鈥�
Online vendor Amazon said in a written statement sent to AP after Friday’s meeting that 鈥減rotecting children and adolescents is a priority for us and we welcome this opportunity to strengthen collaboration with public authorities and NGOs on this important matter.鈥�
The company added that 鈥渨e have strict policies and guidelines in the segment of adult products and we have always strictly prohibited child pornography.鈥� It said it has 鈥渃lear and strict policies prohibiting the sale of sex dolls with child-like appearances, which all third-party sellers on our store must follow.鈥�
In November, France鈥檚 government it was moving toward suspending access to the Shein online marketplace until it proves its content conforms to French law, after authorities found illegal weapons and for sale on the fast-fashion giant鈥檚 website.
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Claudia Ciobanu reported from from Warsaw, Poland.
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