There’s a point where freedom, capitalism, and morality collide. This example is chilling.

What are we supposed to think about an industry that earns profit from creating an object that allows men to fulfill their deviant sexual desires?

Currently, statistics indicate more than 2 million children are trapped in the sex-trafficking industry. These kids are stolen from their homes and families, sold to the highest bidder, held in prostitution rings, and abused on a daily basis. It’s a nightmare that continues each day for the victims.

Helping to feed this global epidemic is an industry that uses principles of capitalism to create a product with moral implications.

Having a product that is scalable and sought after is a basic principle of capitalism. If you can sell it, you can make money. Every free-market proponent gladly supports the right of entrepreneurs to start a business that will create a profit. But, there comes a point when freedom and capitalism collide with morality and we must stop and reconsider.

This reality is clearly seen in the rise of the sex-doll industry. More to the point, the fact that sex-doll manufacturers are creating child-like sex-dolls is cause for concern and consideration. A recent article at the Mirror illustrates this terrifying reality:

“I also found that there is an even darker side to the sex doll industry. As the tour continued, the owner directed me towards an unfinished doll. What caught me off guard, as he attempted to show me how they trimmed the rough edges, was that this doll wasn’t the compact 45kg version of a woman, but something smaller. The doll appeared younger. I tried to compose myself, to have an objective discussion to understand why the owner had chosen to produce such a doll, but tears began to flood my eyes. My mind was processing what it meant that this doll existed in physical space. The harsh truth that some people want to bring their fantasies to reality, that imagination for these people is not enough, and other people are willing to sell it to them.”

Let’s add some perspective to this scenario: engaging in sexual activity with a minor is illegal. Producing or consuming child pornography is illegal. And yet, at this very moment sex dolls made to appear child-like are being manufactured for sale. This means people that struggle with unnatural and illegal desires will be able to somewhat live out their fantasies.

What do we think the expected outcome of this product will be? If we expect the outcome of adult sex-doll sales to be greater objectification of women, greater sexual violence and crime; what will happen when more people can physically act out their desire to have sex with children?

Here is where we have to step back and say, “is this a good idea?” I am all for free markets, entrepreneurs, and keeping the government out of business as much as possible. The last thing I want to do is ask the government to get involved. And yet I find myself thinking that this is an instance where the government needs to get involved.

The manufacturer cited in the Mirror article said that the child-like dolls don’t have “a human age,” they are whatever age the user “projects” on the doll. I suppose this is meant to be comforting, to reassure us that it isn’t actually a child, but just a young woman. However, these comments are not comforting at all. If each user can project an age then we can be sure users will fantasize about and then act out their fantasies on dolls they believe are children.

Let’s consider a parallel concern that has been discussed in our culture for many years. Video games have grown increasingly violent. But not just violent, they have grown graphically violent. Being able to chop people up, tear limbs off, and use all manner of weapons to injure and kill people is front and center in many games. We have been told that such games are contributing to the violence we are experiencing globally. We are told that performing these acts in a video game is no longer sufficient for some as they seek to perform these acts in “real life.”

If this is true, can there be any doubt that a person seeking to engage in sexual activity with a child will start by using one of these child-like dolls before moving on to a biological child? What is the purpose of creating a clear and present danger for children? According to the writer of the article, it’s profit:

“I left the factory. Seeing my distress, some parting words from the owner were that he understood how I was feeling, but he explained that there was a demand and he cannot turn down money to be made.”

There it is. Someone that recognizes and “understands” the distress his business is causing but values profit over children. This is a clear example of the old saying “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.”

I support freedom. I support entrepreneurs and businesses. I support capitalism and the least amount of government intervention possible. But this is a bridge too far. This is crossing a red line that should never have been drawn.