Raped in the metaverse

[rickyrickygrimes]

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/05/metaverse-sexual-assault-vr-game-online-safety-meta

does anyone on here go into the Metaverse? What is it? How does it work?

And how can someone be raped in a virtual world? I’m not disputing at all that it was a traumatic experience for the girl this happened to. Is there actually an offence of ‘virtual rape’?

I thought the situation was an offence of assault? In that to assault someone you don’t have to physically touch anyone. The media may have been being creative with the term digital rape. Also that isn’t the offence being investigated and I’m not sure it currently exists.
sexual assault absolutely could happen virtually.

Also, it really isn’t the point that someone could have turned the headset off, the same as someone could hang up the phone at an abusive phone caller. The offence has still occurred.

If in RL a group of men surrounded a 15 year old girl, making wanking gestures and hip thrusts, shouting sexually violent threats, they might not touch her but she would still be violated by it.