Childlike sex dolls a violation of law, Norwegian court rules

Childlike sex dolls are a violation of Norwegian law, the Supreme Court has ruled in a landmark test case.

Five judges decided unanimously it was “beyond doubt” that a 100cm long silicone model amounted to the sexualisation of children.

The doll was seized by customs officers at Oslo Airport in 2016 after it was ordered online from Hong Kong.

It had three body openings and was supplied with accessories such as a wig, one set of extra eyes, a tube of jelly and washing equipment.

Prosecutors charged a man with an offence under section 311 of the criminal code, which bans importation of depictions which sexualise children.

He was convicted and sentenced to a suspended 60-day prison sentence by the East Finnmark District Court on 23 April 2018.

In his appeal to the supreme court the convicted man, who is not identified in the ruling, argued that the doll should not be considered sexualisation of children.

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However in the ruling, judge Cecilie Østensen Berglund​ said the doll appeared to be a child “far below 18 years old” and had “such distinctive features that it implies sexualization of children”.

The judge also rejected his claim that the doll “can be a sufficient substitute to prevent real abuse” by pointing out that the legislature had decided it was punishable to depict a child as a sexual object.

Norwegian police have raised concerns about the increase in orders of lifelike sex dolls from Hong Kong. The force said those purchasing the dolls could pose a risk of committing further abuses against children.

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Possession of the dolls is not illegal in the UK but in 2017 two men were convicted of a law banning the importation of ”indecent or obscene articles”.

Earlier this year it was revealed that 230 suspected child sex dolls have been seized by the Border Force since September 2016.

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