Investigation Uncovers Gray Market for Childlike Sex Dolls

After childlike sex dolls were found on global fast-fashion platform SHEIN, similar products have been discovered on major Chinese e-commerce sites including Taobao, JD.com, and Pinduoduo.

An undercover investigation by The Paper revealed a supply chain producing silicone dolls with childlike features and sexual functions, raising legal and ethical concerns.

In response, regulators in Dongguan and Huizhou, Guangdong Province, have launched multi-department investigations into the involved factories today.

On the platforms of Taobao, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, searches using keywords such as "youthful doll" or "lolita doll" return silicone figures with childlike faces and bodies, ranging from 70cm to 140cm in height and priced from 478 (US$67) to 1,699 yuan. Although labeled as "anime dolls," customer reviews containing phrases like "feels very good" and "so real" indicate their use as adult toys.

Reporters of The Paper purchased three such dolls, all featuring childlike faces and sexual functionality. They traced two to a factory in Huizhou, which claims to export to 96 countries and regions.

Inside the facility, production lines operated even on weekends, with unfinished doll bodies suspended on conveyors. A staff member confirmed the company produces childlike dolls as short as 40cm, with optional heating and suction functions, and even offers a "pregnant woman" model. The company offers hundreds of facial options, including childlike designs, and ships the products as "fitness equipment" to avoid scrutiny.

Another factory in Dongguan admitted to producing similar TPE and silicone dolls, shipped without factory identifiers to evade detection.

Ding Guangquan, secretary general of the Beijing All In One Foundation, which initiates "Girl Protection" anti sexual abuse project, stated in the interview with The Paper that such products violate public order and morals. Linking young girls' imagery with sexual elements distorts minors' understanding of sexuality and increases their risk of sexual assault, Ding added.

Yan Caiqi, a lawyer from Eternal Glory Law Offices (Shanghai), pointed out that sellers disguising such products as "anime figurines" may face charges of producing and selling pornographic materials for profit – a crime punishable by up to life imprisonment in China. If sold to minors, penalties can be stricter. She called for clearer legal standards, such as banning any dolls modeled after children under 14.

Song Xingjian, a lecturer at Hunan Normal University, told The Paper that e-commerce platforms have a duty to review sellers' qualifications and product information. Failure to do so could lead to fines, business suspension, or even joint liability for consumer damages.

The issue has drawn international attention. French authorities in November threatened to block SHEIN's website after the platform was found selling childlike sex dolls.

The French regulator issued a formal notice demanding corrective measures, citing laws that penalize distribution of child-pornographic content with up to seven years in prison and a 100,000-euro fine (US$115,000).

SHEIN stated it has banned all sex dolls and temporarily suspended its adult product category for review. It added that it has launched an investigation to determine how these listings bypassed its screening measures.