MPS must wake up to the dangers of sex robots that act as "substitutes" for women before it's too late, experts are warning.

A campaign group made up of academics, women's rights activists, and writers says the lifelike droids are being marketed as replacements for "'companions', girlfriends’ or ‘wives’" – and the government is stuck playing catch up.

3 Samantha featured in a segment on This Morning where her owner/lover Arran discussed living with the doll and incorporating her in the family Credit: Rex Features

They want MPs to consult on legislation that brings the kinky bots "in line with European and UK sex discrimination laws and the European Union’s commitment to the UN Rights of the Child".

“At a time when pornography, prostitution and child exploitation is facilitated and proliferated by digital technology turning it into a global profitable industry; these products further promote the objectification of the female body and as such constitute a further assault on human intimacy,” the group writes in an open letter.

The people with sway over decision-making are businesses and artificial intelligence professionals with a vested interest in blocking any attempts at regulation, the group warns.

“We are in an age where they are saying you don’t even need to have another human being in your life. Women are now interchangeable with technology.

3 An owner with the Harmony sex doll, which boasts an AI personality Credit: Production Company. Channel 4 images must not be altered or manipulated in any way. This p

“We are being told that if [we] can’t meet other human beings, if we can’t have relationships, there is a machine waiting for us that can fulfill our every needs and desires. The problem with that it is not true. It is a myth being created by a marketing community in order to convince us to buy products.”

The group adds that robots made to look like children are "naturalising" paedophilia as a sexual preference and "serve to legitimise adult sexual violence against children".

They also cite the CREEPER Act (Curbing Realistic Exploitative Electronic Pedophilic Robots), a recently approved US bill that imposes a ban on the importation and sale of child sex robots.

Congressman Dan Donovan said the despicable droids are being sold online by sellers from China, Hong Kong, and Japan and shipped to paedos in the UK and US deceptively labelled as mannequins or models to evade customs and excise.

3 Engineer Douglas Hines with his "TrueCompanion" droid: a life-size robotic girlfriend complete with artificial intelligence and flesh-like synthetic skin Credit: AFP - Getty

In the UK, it is currently illegal to import the sex dolls under the 1979 Customs and Excise Management Act but ownership in the UK is not against the law.

"Government ministers lag behind technological developments and often respond with constructive policies when it is too late and the damage to human society has been done," states the group.

Advocates for sex robots, including buyers, claim they can be a boon for failing marriages and lonely or disabled people.

Last year, the owner of a female droid with a "family filter" button that dials down her trash talk appeared on ITV's This Morning.

Father of two Aaran Lee Wright shocked viewers when he claimed his wife is okay with his "Samantha" sex doll and that he even lets his kids play with her.

And in February, a Chinese firm claimed to have built a robot that laughs at its owner's jokes – and even washes the dishes.

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