So much so that some consider these items to be their ideal romantic partner, according to new research from Germany.
Jeanne C Desbuleux and Johannes Fuss, two researchers from the University of Duisbourg-Essen, have studied the relationship between 217 owners of sex dolls, mostly heterosexual men, and their faux companions.
They asked them to answer a detailed questionnaire on the use they make of them, and on the vision they have of these women/objects, which are created with ever-increasing realism.
Nearly half of respondents say they feel emotionally attached to their sex doll and see her as their ideal life partner.
They are also more likely to agree with statements such as “I am in love with my doll,” “having a sex doll has improved my mental health” and “I use dolls because I find the bodies of my potential human sexual partners less attractive.”
It is clear that, for many, these silicon dolls are not just kinky objects, like a sex toy. They are a form of consolation in the face of loneliness, as sex doll owner Yuri Tolochko told ETX Daily Up.
“I can talk with them a little. Every day I touch them, I hug them. It’s my ritual. It’s love. I have an emotional connection with them.”
And Yuri is by no means an isolated case.
“We were astonished by the high number of individuals who seem to actually live some kind of relationship with the dolls,” Desbuleux told PsyPost. Not surprisingly, these individuals are mostly single or divorced, like Yuri.
And the objectification of women?
Contrary to what their critics might say, these kinds of dolls are not intended to replace women in the flesh – even if their appearance may suggest otherwise.
From eye colour and face shape to hair length, vulva size and pubic hair, the appeal of sex dolls lies in the fact that they are customisable at will, within the limits of what the law allows.
Indeed, Amazon was tried in a French court in May within the framework of a prior admission of guilt (CRPC), for having allowed the sale of sex dolls resembling children on its website.
Creating the perfect partner who meets – almost – all of our physical and sexual expectations can be a dream for many. But it raises questions about consent and the objectification of women.
Most of the study participants (70%) say that sex dolls have not changed their image of women, compared to 2.3% who say that they have had a negative impact.
However, 10% of respondents said they were less interested in “real” women since they started using sex dolls.
“These dolls are not only of interest to men who act out potentially harmful (sexual) behaviour on them, as many critics fear,” Desbuleux told PsyPost.
“The data show that dolls help satisfy much more sexual as well as emotional needs. It could be that sexual and emotional relationships with objects like robots are increasing due to increasing technologization [of society].”