Christiane Eichenberg, Marwa Khamis, and Lisa Hübner, quotes

View Quote Therapists who defined sex robots as therapeutic tools described concrete ideas of how they should look like and work to actually be suitable for therapy. The skin of the robot was most frequently addressed in this context. A therapist described why skin sensation is important: “We know that the bonding hormone oxytocin is produced through skin contact between humans. The question would be if this also works for robots?” Another important point is that the robot body should resemble the human body. For therapists, this means that the robot body portrays an imperfect design to convey a healthy body image. The question “What kind of image of a woman is created by such a robot?” is also related to considerations about the optics of the robot. Another important issue was that sex robots should not be conceived as slaves but should have their own desires and needs. In addition, they should be able to express those needs, feelings, or desires.

View Quote All therapists described the concern that the use of sex robots could lead to loneliness, further autonomization of instincts, and loss of social skills and loss of interpersonal relationships. These concerns were based on the therapists’ experiences with the negative effects of excessive pornography consumption and on the assumption that sex robots are part of this development. The results of the quantitative survey, which showed the strongest agreement among therapists for the use of sex robots in physically handicapped people, in isolated environments, and instead of prostitution, could also be confirmed in the qualitative study. Even therapists who could not imagine any therapeutic use saw a general benefit of sex robots in these areas: “The only thing I could imagine is a benefit for physically handicapped people or even instead of prostitution so that fewer women have to suffer.” The therapeutic benefit of sex robots was discussed in the context of different disorders.

View Quote The use of sex robots for patients with deviant sexual behavior was discussed by all therapists. Sex robots could have the potential to reduce the sex drive of certain sexually active persons within the framework of therapy. “Whenever sexuality becomes dangerous, the use of sex robots is worth considering if it can protect a real human life.” Therapists mention the use of sex robots in the context of sexual violence or rape and in the context of pedophile patients, with the strongest contrast of opinions being seen here. What seems important here is that pedophile patients must be treated differently. For some, an impulse control disorder is predominant, whereas others may be traumatized. Therapists point out that the benefits of sex robots must be decided individually for each specific case: “Pedophile patients are not all the same and it has to be decided here quite individually which patient could benefit from it.” For some patients, it could be an opportunity to live out their sexuality with a sex robot. Then, they could discuss in therapy which fantasies were behind it (eg, not being able to cope with an adult). For some patients, the use of sex robots could be a kind of substitute. For others, the stimuli for the abuse of children might intensify. A therapist pointed out the following: “It should be considered that the neuronal connection could be intensified by living out the fantasies with child sex robots in the patients’ brain.” Another therapist assumed that the abuse would be intensified by the use of child sex robots and underlined “that the production of child sex robots is generally immoral.” In contrast to this, another therapist argued that the patient’s thoughts, for example during masturbation, could also lower the barrier to committing a crime and that prohibitions—important as they may be—do not necessarily reduce the number of criminal offences, but rather provide an additional attraction for many patients. The therapist argued as follows: “If a child can be protected, then it makes sense to torture a doll instead.” Another therapist addressed one’s own fear of triggering something in the patient by recommending sex robots to pedophile patients. The responsibility of the therapist was also addressed. Does a therapist want to take responsibility for recommending sex robots, even if the therapy with a sex robot turns out to be dangerous and the patient becomes violent? Finally, several therapists addressed the need for further research in this field: “It would need more applied research in this particular area to actually generate therapeutic benefits for pedophile patients.”

View Quote Some therapists discussed the use of sex robots in the context of the patient’s gender, by referring to supposed differences between female and male sexuality, whereby male sexuality was described as more animal instinctive. Although all therapists could imagine the use of sex robots in therapy rather for male patients, we can also describe some application areas for female patients. In the context of female sexuality, the therapeutic benefits of sex robots regarding desire and orgasm disorders, vaginismus, and traumatic experiences were discussed: “I could imagine that traumatized women who can ride on a sex robot, for example, and who can do so without fear of being overwhelmed by their sex partner, can benefit from this experience and successively reduce their fears, or that penetration will perhaps only become possible again in the first place.” Through a penetration-capable sex robot, women with traumatic experiences, such as sexual violence/rape, could reduce their fears, approach their own sexuality again, and regain access to their own bodies.

View Quote All therapists argued that sex robots should not be seen as a substitute for human relationships and sexuality. Nevertheless, some therapists also see the potential of sex robots for sexuality. Sex robots could increase sexual satisfaction and provide an opportunity for more experimentation and sexual imagination.

View Quote Sullins [36] argues that sex robots “contribute to a negative body image.” In the qualitative study, it became clear that sex therapists attach great importance to the physical design of sex robots when it comes to using them for therapeutic purposes. However, they clearly distinguish therapeutic robots from pornographic sex robots. Moreover, they advocate that sex robots should be available in different body shapes to promote a realistic and healthy body image. Kubes [37] assumes that the development of sex robots offers a great potential for reducing stereotypes and promoting diversity but current trends in sex robotics, however, do not explore these possibilities.

View Quote With regard to the treatment of pedophile patients, the results showed the opposite picture compared with attitudes in the general population. Although the general population is strongly against the use of sex robots in this context [25], it is controversially discussed by the therapists surveyed in this study. In this context, the consideration was expressed that the use of child sex robots could lead to the prevention of actual children’s abuse. Similar thoughts have already been discussed in pornography research. However, studies have concluded that violent pornography is more likely to increase aggressiveness and therefore has no cathartic effects [39]. The considerations to live out sexual violence and sexual abuse with robots also lead to the question whether there are limits to how a robot should be handled.

View Quote Instead of criticizing only dystopian visions of harmful sex robots, it is recommended to develop robots with positive effects on sexual education, sexual therapy, sexual counseling, and sexual well-being for interested groups. In future research, the different applications of robotic sex (eg, hardware robots and software robots) should be investigated in a differentiated way. The therapists’ experiences with expert knowledge in robot technology and/or robot therapy should be included. The use of robots as a future tool in sex therapy still leaves many moral, ethical, and treatment-related questions unresolved, which need further research and evaluation.