UK police for the first time investigate sexual assault in metaverse

A new case of sexual assault on the avatar of a 16 year old girl in the metaverse has ignited a debate around dealing with crimes that take place in virtual reality. As per the reports, the girl was wearing a virtual reality headset in an immersive game when her avatar, a representation of her human form, was virtually raped by a group of male avatars.

Authorities are investigating this unique case of assault on the girl wearing the headset. Although devoid of physical harm, the investigation centers on the profound psychological and emotional distress experienced by the victim. “There is an emotional and psychological impact on the victim that is longer term than any physical injuries,” a senior officer familiar with the case told the We don't have laws to protect virtual characters In the case of the UK, and as is in most countries in the world, real world rape laws don’t apply to similar assaults that take place in virtual environments.

There currently exist no laws to penalize or address the issue of virtual rape. This case, being widely discussed on news channels with experts weighing in, sheds light on the disturbing aspects of our society's increasing reliance on the virtual world. With the advancement of virtual reality, legal concerns surrounding user interactions, particularly virtual rape, have emerged.

The case raises pressing questions about the legal consequences of sexual offenses in the metaverse, exploring criminal charges, potential lawsuits for damages, and the appropriate legal course of action. “Sadly, I am not surprised,” said Ian Russell, an online safety campaigner. “The thing with new technology is that it is great, it is fantastic but we never have done so far enough to look after the problems that can come with it.

And this is just another example of emerging harm. Not a first A similar case came to light, the first of many, when in a surprising turn of events within the metaverse, a researcher exploring Meta's Horizon World encountered a distressing incident. Within just an hour of immersing herself in an Oculus virtual reality headset, the researcher claims that her virtual avatar experienced an act of assault in the digital realm.

As per the , the researcher expressed feeling "disoriented" following the assault, attributing it to the vibrations from her handheld controller, a consequence of virtual interactions with other users. “Every digital technology that is being developed should be developed with safety in mind.

There should be safety by design,” added Russell. UK authorities are grappling with the notion that prosecuting virtual offenses may prove futile under current laws, which narrowly define sexual assault as physical, non consensual, sexual touching, said the report..