People caught buying, selling or owning child-like sexual abuse dolls will face up to five years in prison under legislation now being backed by the government.

The Child-like Sexual Abuse Dolls (Offences) Private Members’ Bill has cleared its second reading and progressed to the committee stage in Parliament. It is designed to criminalise the manufacture, distribution, and possession of these items, closing what safeguarding groups describe as a dangerous gap in the law.

Under current legislation, police officers do not have a specific offence available to prosecute people simply for making or owning these dolls. Investigators have encountered them while looking into child sexual abuse suspects and monitoring registered sex offenders, but have lacked the direct power to act on the items alone.

Ministers argue that closing this loophole gives law enforcement clearer powers to disrupt potential offenders and protect children. Satvir Kaur, the Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, said the government is supporting the legislation to expose abuse sooner and disrupt offenders faster.

"Children must be protected from sexual abuse in every form – online, offline and wherever the threat appears," Kaur said. "As the mum of a young child myself, I am horrified these disturbing dolls even exist. This new law will mean we can seize them and prosecute anyone involved in their sick trade."

Child protection experts have also backed the move. Dame Rachel de Souza, the Children’s Commissioner for England, called the bill a long overdue step, urging parliamentarians to enact it as quickly as possible so that harmful behaviours can be addressed at the earliest possible stage.

Abigail Gill, Acting Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the NSPCC, addressed the argument that such items might act as a substitute for real-world harm. She noted there is no comprehensive evidence that using these dolls prevents contact offences against children, warning that realistic props risk desensitising offenders in the same way indecent images can.

Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive of NAPAC, added that survivors understand the devastating impact when the sexualisation of children is tolerated or minimised, stressing that there should be no avenue through which children are sexualised for adult gratification.

This legislation sits alongside a wider set of measures introduced in the Crime and Policing Act. Those provisions include a mandatory duty for people in key roles to report suspected child sexual abuse, a new offence for interfering with that duty, making grooming an aggravating factor in sentencing, tackling AI-generated abuse material, and handing Border Force stronger powers to intercept digital abuse material at the border.

These measures are being supported by £100 million in government funding aimed at strengthening police responses, pursuing offenders, and providing support for victims and survivors.

What we do not know yet is the exact date when the legislation will complete its passage through Parliament and officially come into force, as it must still clear committee scrutiny and further votes.

I will be following this bill as it makes its way through the committee stage — check back for updates as it progresses.