November 27, 2023

Image Credit: Pinterest

Teenage UK Girl 'Virtually Gang-Raped' In Metaverse Game

January 6, 2024

British Police are investigating a case where a 16-year-old girl's VR avatar was allegedly gang-raped by avatars representing several men in the metaverse game "Horizon Worlds."

Alleged Virtual Reality (VR) Assault

Image Credit: Pinterest

Although no physical harm occurred, law enforcement is treating the emotional and psychological impact of the virtual assault seriously, recognizing potential harm in virtual environments.

Emotional and Psychological Impact

Image Credit: Pinterest

UK Home Secretary James Cleverly supports the investigation, emphasizing the girl's psychological trauma. He cautions against underestimating the gravity of virtual acts, especially for a child with sexual trauma.

Support from UK Home Secretary

Image Credit: HICL

Immersion in Virtual Environments

Cleverly emphasizes the immersive nature of virtual environments, stating that dismissing such incidents as not real neglects the psychological effects, especially on a child.

Image Credit: Pinterest

National Police Chiefs’ Council Concerns

Ian Critchley, National Police Chiefs’ Council, underscores metaverse as a predator avenue, urges tech companies like Meta to boost user safety and evolve policing strategies.

Image Credit: Forbes

Meta's Horizon Worlds

The game, Horizon Worlds, by Meta (formerly Facebook), has seen instances of virtual sexual misconduct. Despite reports, no legal actions have been taken in the UK regarding these incidents.

Image Credit: CoinDCX

Image Credit: Pinterest

Past Incident in 2022

Image Credit: Pinterest

A woman alleged verbal and sexual harassment in Meta's Horizon Venues, emphasizing a pattern of concerning incidents in virtual spaces.