Market for child sex dolls exists in Singapore even with new ban

Some retailers in China say they have had inquiries, shipped dolls here over the years

As of Jan 1, it is a crime to own, produce and sell child sex dolls - which are modelled on the bodies of pre-pubescent children. PHOTO: NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY
As of Jan 1, it is a crime to own, produce and sell child sex dolls - which are modelled on the bodies of pre-pubescent children. PHOTO: NATIONAL CRIME AGENCY
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Adult shop owner Kelvin Khor is careful when selecting sex dolls to stock his online store.

If the dolls appear too child-like or "kawaii", meaning "cute" in Japanese, the 34-year-old rejects them in case he runs afoul of a new law that bans child sex dolls here.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 27, 2020, with the headline Market for child sex dolls exists in Singapore even with new ban. Subscribe