- State Sen. Berg made the comments Thursday at a committee hearing.
- Despite his comments, Berg voted with the committee to ban the dolls.
A Kentucky Democrat has sparked backlash online after saying pedophiles should be given child sex dolls as a way to prevent them from abusing children.
State Sen. Karen Berg made the comments Thursday during a committee hearing where lawmakers discussed a bill that would make it a felony to own a sex doll designed to look like a child, Fox News reported.
“There’s what they call MAPS, Minor Attracted People, and the limited amount of research that’s been done on these dolls, guys, suggests that actually – for people who are attracted to minors – these dolls actually decrease their propensity to go out and attack children,” Berg said.
“That actually gives them a release that makes them less likely to leave the house.”
Despite his comments, Berg voted with the committee to ban the dolls, and the bill now heads to the full Senate.
Kentucky Democrat Karen Berg has sparked backlash online after saying pedophiles should be given child sex dolls as a way to prevent them from abusing children.
During his remarks Thursday, Berg shared that he had Googled child sex dolls the night before and found research that said they could be helpful with the “inclinations” of pedophiles.
He added: “What’s interesting is that the research did not support the same conclusions for people who were attracted to adults who used dolls.”
Berg’s comments began spreading online after the Kentucky Republican Party shared a post condemning her.
They wrote: ‘This might be the most disturbing thing you see today. Watch KY Democratic Senator Karen Berg propose child sex dolls for pedophiles. This type of disturbing proposal has no place in the Commonwealth.
Social media users quickly began to pile on criticism against the legislator.
The bill, HB 207, would also make it a felony to import or promote child sex dolls and would include AI-generated images of children in the state’s law against the display and promotion of child sexual abuse images.
Following the backlash, Berg issued a statement clarifying his position.
She said: “As a mother and doctor, I am of course deeply concerned about the harm of pedophilia and I regret that my question in the committee did not convey that.”
“I voted in favor of House Bill (HB) 207 to ban child sex dolls, a stance that aligns with my commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our youth and holding perpetrators accountable.”
Berg, whose trans son committed suicide in 2022, is a fierce advocate for LGBTQ rights.
Berg, a doctor and professor from Louisville, who spent 30 years practicing medicine before being elected to the state Senate in 2020.
The Louisville lawmaker had spoken about her son during legislative proceedings while opposing Kentucky bills targeting transgender people, which have increasingly passed Republican statehouses across the country.
That includes a 2022 law banning transgender girls and women from participating in school sports that match their gender identity, which applies from sixth grade through college.
Berg said in a statement: “On a daily basis in his work, Henry would be aware of the hateful and vile anti-trans messages circulating this country and centered around his workplace.”
Berg, a doctor and professor from Louisville, who spent 30 years practicing medicine before being elected to the state Senate in 2020.
