With the emergence and continued development of intelligent sex dolls this entails a promising future for sex dolls, possibly robot dolls and the sex doll industry as a whole, as sex dolls become more realistic and responsive more and more people are going to open up to the idea of owning a sex doll not only for sexual activity but companionship too. Sex dolls really aren't "just a doll".

From the humble beginnings of the blow up doll to the modern life like sex doll, to the future of robot sex dolls, whether you like it or not, sex dolls are here to stay.

Those who own sex dolls sometimes refer to themselves as “doll friends”, “doll daddies” or “doll mothers”.

Sex doll owners are, in their simplest form, divided into two categories of people, the first type of sex doll owners mainly use their sex dolls to meet their emotional needs. They often like to dress up their life size sex doll in a range of different types of clothing depending on the occasion, put simply, this includes:

• Casual wear
• Lingerie
• Cosplay or costumes for role-play

Sex doll owners who purchase a sex doll mainly for companionship are typically looking for a more spiritual and emotional connection; some are childless couples who purchase a realistic love doll to act as a daughter figure, and others may be widowers who are involuntarily widowed due to old age or other unforeseen circumstances and rely on a love doll to support their emotional (and sometimes physical) needs in place of their deceased partner. Others simply don't enjoy sex but instead the emotional presence of their sex doll.

On the other hand, the second type of owner focuses on meeting their physical needs. These individuals can range from average individuals to those who are disabled or elderly and living alone, those who have difficulty in social situations and trouble meeting a real woman to meet their needs. In fact, some sex doll owners have report that they have found that their sex doll has helped them even form human relationships, socially and sexually. 

Others may not want to meet a real woman and actually much prefer a sex doll to meet their needs. This could be due to financial, social or personal reasons, it all depends on your personal values, needs and goals.

Most sex doll owners are a combination of both, where the most common sex doll owner uses their sex doll to meet their sexual and emotional needs.

Commercial sex dolls have existed since the mid-19th century, when they were made of vulcanized rubber and meant to be inflated or filled with warm milk or water to simulate the warmth of a human body, according to Bo Ruberg, an associate professor of film and media studies at UC-Irvine and the author of "Sex Dolls at Sea".

Sex doll manufacturer, Tiais, has reportedly stated that in addition to single individuals purchasing sex dolls, 30% to 40% of those who purchase a sex doll have girlfriends and/or families.

Despite the “sexual” filter added to the public’s perception of the silicone doll, the silicone doll is actually more than just that; silicone sex dolls are much, much more than just adult objects.

Silicone sex doll manufacturer, CST Doll, has reportedly calculated and stated that of their customers. Approximately 40% of customers use their sex dolls purely as sexual tools. Another 40% treat their life size sex doll as a “lover”, fully exerting their emotions and desires on their dolls. The final 20% of their customers, purely purchase sex dolls as great gifts to friends or even family.

During the COVID lockdown, when most were without their intimate partners, sales of sex dolls in Australia increased by 30-40 per cent, which is in line with the increase of sale of sex toys as a whole during that period. 

Sex doll customers tend to be men between the ages of 30-65, looking for female dolls. Demand for male dolls is considerably lower. However, there are heterosexual couples that do like to buy sex dolls together. These couples have reported a much richer and rounded sex life.

A poll conducted on The Doll Forum showed that 50 percent of dolls were bought for non-sexual reasons, where seven percent explained that their sex doll was just to cuddle and sleep with, whilst another 11 percent admitted that they preferred dolls as a replacement for a human.

Psychologist and philosopher Dr Aaron Ben-Zeév wrote in his paper “romantic love and sexual desire” that: 

This essentially states that intimacy cannot be achieved through one-off sexual encounters of any kind as they are brief and superficial, and this isn’t only limited to a real woman partner, but this could also be said for your relationship with your sex dolls.

Today, it is evident that silicone and TPE sex dolls are becoming less and less of just a ‘sex tool’.

In the past, most individuals initially reacted to sex dolls and their users as “perverted” and “disgusting”. This stereotype is rooted in society’s beliefs around shame and filth when discussing the topics of sexuality and making love.

It is due to this mindset and the fact that TPE & silicone dolls have been linked to the concept of sex, that they are looked down upon in society in a “shameful” and “dirty” sense. It is because of these unreasonable stereotypes that sex doll owners (and the overall sex toy) community is unable to express and display their true feelings and desires as boldly as people with other hobbies and interests.

Stereotypes aside, we as a society really need to think deeply and reconsider why sex doll owners who don’t steal, rob, violate any morals or harm others really bear the stigma of being “perverts” and are looked down upon.

All sex doll owners are living, breathing human beings, who experience joys and sorrows, encounter difficulties and feel lonely from time to time just like you and me.

Perhaps all we need is a change in societal beliefs and norms where a little respect, tolerance, and understanding is given to sex dolls and sex toy owners as a whole.