In the light of the recent report by Responsible Robotics on catering for a future demand for sex or ‘pleasure’ robots, Tthe Salvation Army is increasingly concerned about the possible impact of the availability of ‘sexbots’ on the demand for victims of sexual exploitation.
The Salvation Army’s work with victims of sexual exploitation and modern slavery means we hear and see the impact on people of the dreadful realities of sexual exploitation at first hand. Like the Albanian woman dumped by the side of the motorway last year, following years of being held against her will and forced into prostitution. At eight-and-a-half months pregnant, she was thrown away by her traffickers when she was no longer of use.
We fear that offering another option for purchasing sex through a ‘sexbot’ or sex robot could fuel demand for sex with people and lead to traffickers exploiting more vulnerable individuals to meet this demand.
As Christians we believe that all people are created in the image of God and as such every person has intrinsic worth and value (Genesis 1:27). In 1 John 4:16 it says, ‘God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.’ Human sexuality is part of God’s creation and as such it is goodand to be celebrated. Sex is personal, sacred and intimate, and it is founded in love and human commitment. As Christians we believe that all people are created in the image of God and as such every person has intrinsic worth and value. The value of every person – created in the image of God – is clearly of huge importance, as it is laid out at the very beginning of creation in the book of Genesis (1:27). In 1 John 4:16 it says ‘God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.’ Human sexuality is a gift from God – sex is private, sacred, and intimate, and it is founded in love and human commitment and we see this in Song of Songs.
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