In first reported case of sexual assault in metaverse, 16-year-old girl 'gang-raped' by online strangers in video game
Chandigarh, January 2
In a ground-breaking investigation, UK police are examining the first reported case of sexual assault in the metaverse.
A girl under the age of 16 was left emotionally distraught after her Virtual Reality (VR) avatar, digital character, was ‘gang-raped’ by online strangers in a popular game, Horizon Worlds.
According to Mail Online, the incident occurred when a large number of adult men virtually assaulted the victim in an online ‘room’ with whom she interacted.
While the victim, wearing a VR headset, did not suffer physical injuries, the psychological trauma experienced is comparable to real-world assault due to the immersive nature of the VR experience.
The police are urging legislation to combat sexual offences in the metaverse, emphasising the need for evolving tactics to protect children from exploitation. However, the case raises questions about law-enforcement prioritisation, given the existing backlog of real-world rape cases.
Horizon Worlds is a free VR game owned by Meta (formerly Facebook), where users create avatars and control them with their VR headset and associated equipment. This revelation follows reports of other sexual assaults in the metaverse, prompting calls for updated laws to address the evolving risks associated with artificial intelligence.
