Sexual assault and abuse remain critical public health crises worldwide. While traditional sociological and educational interventions are vital, we must also explore how emerging technology can play a role in violence prevention.
Criminologists and ethicists are currently divided on whether realistic robotic or interactive substitutes can serve as a safe outlet for individuals with violent or deviant impulses (the catharsis hypothesis) or if they risk escalating harmful behaviors. Currently, there is a severe lack of empirical, peer-reviewed data to answer these questions.
We cannot safely implement or dismiss new technological solutions without rigorous science. We call upon lawmakers and health agencies to:
Fund independent, academic studies through public research grants to evaluate the psychological impacts of behavioral robotics.
Convene interdisciplinary bioethics committees comprising psychologists, criminologists, and roboticists to establish safe, legal, and ethical guidelines for this technology.
Explore pilot programs in controlled, therapeutic environments to gather data on whether these systems can actively lower real-world crime rates.