Sarah El Haïry, the French government’s High Commissioner for Children, said on Monday that she wanted authorities to investigate whether any children might be at risk in the homes of buyers of what she called “paedocriminal objects”.

“These dolls are training tools for predators – and unfortunately, sometimes the first step before moving on to actual abuse,” she said in an interview with BFMTV.

“When you buy something as vile as this, there’s a heightened risk of acting out. That means children nearby could be in danger, and they must be protected.”

El Haïry urged online platforms to share information about customers who have purchased such dolls, to allow authorities to carry out checks where needed. “We need to follow the chain right through – from suppliers to the men who keep these horrors in their homes, sometimes with children sleeping in the next room,” she said. “Enough is enough. These are not ordinary objects.”

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