U.S. Sen. John Kennedy Files Legislation To Protect Children From Sexual Predators
Statement
U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) filed the Jurists United to Stop Trafficking Imitation Child Exploitation Act of 2019 (the JUSTICE Act of 2019) Thursday to prohibit the importation of child sex dolls that appeal to sexual predators. Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) is filing a companion bill in the House.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry worked with Sen. Kennedy on the legislation after receiving reports of law enforcement officials finding the dolls during their investigations involving the sexual abuse of children. Some dolls can be programmed to mimic the reactions of rape victims, allowing predators to practice sick behavior. Last year, Amazon discovered the dolls for sale by third party vendors on its website.
Under the JUSTICE Act of 2019, violators will face up to five years in prison for a first offense. Repeat offenders could be imprisoned for up to 10 years.
"As sick as it is, these anatomically correct dolls are made to look like young children. They're disgusting. They are clearly a training kit for pedophiles," said Sen. Kennedy. "The United Kingdom has banned the importation of these dolls, but the United States currently has no law prohibiting them. We need to act swiftly to ban them."
"I want to applaud Senator Kennedy for introducing this important, common-sense legislation," said Rep. Duncan. "The JUSTICE Act will provide an important tool for law enforcement as they crack down on sex traffickers. I look forward to working with Senator Kennedy, my friend Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, and hopefully House Democrats as we push this common-sense bill through to the President's desk."
"Protecting children is critical to a successful society. As someone on the front lines in the battle against child predators, I appreciate this legislation and know it will help make our communities safer. I hope Congress swiftly passes this much-needed public safety measure by Senator Kennedy and Representative Duncan," said Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry.
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