A group of attackers, including several adult men, have been accused of abusing the digital persona of a teenage girl from the UK in a virtual metaverse. The incident took place in a room with a large number of users, according to data reported by Mail Online.
Although the victim did not suffer any physical harm, the psychological impact of the attack is significant, comparable to real-life crimes.
This case marks the first investigation of a virtual sexual crime in the UK, with specific details being kept confidential to protect the child involved. Authorities are concerned that pursuing legal action may pose various challenges.
Virtual reality technology aims to offer a highly immersive experience, blurring the lines between the virtual and real worlds. As a result, victims of such attacks often feel as if they have experienced actual violence.
In a separate incident in 2022, a 43-year-old woman named Nina Jane Patel from London claimed to have been “virtually assaulted” within seconds of entering a new virtual world on the Facebook meta-platform. It is worth noting that META and its products are considered extremist and are banned in the Russian Federation.
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| Mail Online – Police launch investigation into first-of-its-kind virtual metaverse sexual assault |