Mother says she was virtually groped by three male characters within seconds of entering Facebook's online world Metaverse

[PrincessNikla]

On a visit this month, the mother-of-four entered the ‘lobby’ – a virtual space serving as an entry point. But within seconds she was pursued by the men’s avatars, who groped her, subjected her to a stream of sexual innuendo and took screen shots of the attack for several minutes as she tried to flee.

She had to tear off her headset – which covers her eyes and allows her to see the metaverse as her avatar sees it – to end the ordeal.

While she could not actually feel the avatars’ hands, Mrs Patel has suffered from anxiety since the attack – and fears for the safety of her three teenage girls and other women in this lawless virtual world.

She said: ‘I entered the Horizon Venues metaverse as an avatar who looked just like me – middle-aged, blonde and dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved top.

‘The space you enter is a lobby, like a theatre foyer. Within 60 seconds, three male avatars – who all had male voices – came towards me and touched me inappropriately.

‘Before I knew what was happening, they were taking screen shots of them touching my avatar, both my upper and lower body. While doing that, they said things like, “Don’t pretend you don’t love it.”

‘I tried to move away but they followed me. I didn’t know who these people were or have the time to stay and investigate.’

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10455417/Mother-43-avatar-groped-three-male-characters-online-Metaverse.html

I haven't been on there, so cannot comment on how often this happens and if she was unlucky or if it happens a lot. I agree that the 'men' (if they were men as they were avatars) were completely out of order.

I totally agree it is horrible, but 'an ordeal' ? 'suffered from anxiety' since the attack? How hard would it be to just take off your headset to get out of it?

well frankly as its an adult rated game , its virtual and you can actually hear the other people talking its interesting to know how you can raise it really , the potential for there to be lots of creeps and perverts on there is inevitable , its a miracle its not being used as a hook up site , except it likely is . im confused how anyone logging on to play this shit would expect it to be like brookhaven roleplay

The app in the article is not a game. It is an online lobby (like a theatre lobby), and you can go in different rooms to watch streamed videos.
Snoop Dogg even live streamed one of his concerts in there (so would definitely be for adults then).

I have used it a few times, and it is mostly people just stood around talking about every day things.

Am I missing something? Surely you can just turn it off? It's not real.

I hadn’t read that article but had heard of Rhythm 0. It is shocking and I do wonder how different the public would have reacted if the artist was male.

@TabithaTittlemouse
Allegedly not much better - Shia Labeouf did a very similar performance in #IAMSORRY (ironically, plagiarising Marina was an apology for his plagiarism of Dan Clowes). He had the same set-up, bullwhip etc but one-to-ones, and each participant had chosen one item before entering the room. He later said that a woman sexually assaulted him (as an aside, he was sued himself for sexual battery in 2020 by FKA Twigs)
www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/30/shia-labeouf-collaborators-turner-ronkko-speak-alleged-rape-iamsorry-art-show

@truthfullylying

I disagree that serious crimes are trivialised by also caring about less serious crimes.

We do not ignore ABH because it is less serious than GBH.
We do not ignore muggings because they are less serious than armed robbery.

It’s not a correct comparison. Because in a mugging someone pushes you and grabs your bag. In an armed robbery they use a firearm to steal from you. In a VR incident like this, nothing actually happens. Some sad loser cartoons assault another cartoon. No actual human being is injured. And they have the ability to leave at any time. It’s revolting that there are people out there that do this stuff, but it’s not anything like a real life assault, and to say it is is just plain wrong.

@Bagamoyo1

It’s disgusting that people do this sort of thing, but it’s not exactly sexual assault is it.

When I was 17 I was raped in a shop doorway by a stranger who said he’d kill me if I didn’t do what he said. He held his hands round my throat throughout, just in case I doubted his word. He kicked and punched me, ripped my clothes off and raped me. I tried to flag down a passing car, but the driver thought I was messing around, and didn’t stop (he told the police that later). If I could have removed a headset to make it all stop, I’d have been very happy. Likening what this woman went through to what I endured is frankly insulting.
I’m not saying that because it was different then it’s OK. Obviously it isn’t. But it’s really not comparable, and it trivialises what I went through.

Well done for being the voice of reason. You are very brave to speak out about your ordeal and comparing cartoon characters on a screen to a real life terrifying attack goes beyond the pale in my opinion

"The first place that opens up a live virtual rape and torture zone will make a lot of money from memberships.

We'll probably see articles extolling the virtues of the liberation of the women workers who have to log on and be virtually assaulted for 8 hour shifts to earn a living. "I love how the job saves me commuting." "

I's say this is accurate. How depressing.

I think it's fine it was described as an ordeal. Like the verbal abuse girls and young women get from others playing online games. It's seen as the norm sadly. Like the MP on BBC last week talking about the sexist threats she faces simply because she's a woman and her male colleague seemed shocked. It's disgusting.

@Bagamoyo1

So you think that verbal harassment and abuse is fine? This is such a weird take IMO. Youa re fine with people saying anything they like to your children, or to you, so long as there is no physical contact/harm?

You are out of line with the law, and public opinion. I think your position is wrong.

@nokidshere

Am I missing something? Surely you can just turn it off? It's not real.

This is the same shit advice the police always give women on social media - leave.

Stay away from Facebook/Meta. They are not a force for good in any way.

I can't imagine being upset by this personally. All sorts happen in computer games. People generally aren't left traumatised when they are killed or blown up, run over etc. How she feels is how she feels though so who are we to say whether that's right or wrong.

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

Stay away from Facebook/Meta. They are not a force for good in any way.

Using VR has done me a lot of good, both for my mental and physical health.

[quote truthfullylying]@Bagamoyo1

So you think that verbal harassment and abuse is fine? This is such a weird take IMO. Youa re fine with people saying anything they like to your children, or to you, so long as there is no physical contact/harm?

You are out of line with the law, and public opinion. I think your position is wrong.[/quote]
No one did or said anything to her. It was a cartoon. And yes it’s disgusting but it does not compare with the brutal rape I experienced as a teenager, and anyone who says it does is plain wrong. I would suggest you get beaten and raped and then come back and tell me that a cartoon being touched is as bad. This woman was safe. She wasn’t facing death if she didn’t allow the attacker to ejaculate in her mouth while he held her neck.
Have a look at the Mason Greenwood thread. Would it be as sickening if it had happened virtually? If the bruises and blood were just special effects on a screen? Of course it wouldn’t.

@liveforsummer

I can't imagine being upset by this personally. All sorts happen in computer games. People generally aren't left traumatised when they are killed or blown up, run over etc. How she feels is how she feels though so who are we to say whether that's right or wrong.

Playing a violent game is really not the same thing as what happened to this woman.

Playing a violent game is really not the same thing as what happened to this woman.

It's just not real though, not in my mind anyway. To me it is the same. Obviously isn't in hers though and as I said she's entitled to that.

*nokidshere
Am I missing something? Surely you can just turn it off? It's not real.
This is the same shit advice the police always give women on social media - leave.

I wasn't giving advice I was asking a question. Did the question marks not give it away?

How come you can grope someone in meta? Can you also attack them? Damage their avatar? There should be a way to do this if they pull this stunt. In real life many women have to put up with this rubbish but VR should be an escape for women too; differences in size and strength make no difference online so I’m sure something could be coded to discourage this behaviour.

And goes without saying but some men make me want to stop the planet and jump off. Just sick of this.

@Bagamoyo1 No one has said it is anywhere near as bad, but that does not mean it is OK either. No one should be comparing offences, it is not the way the law works.

@nokidshere

*nokidshere Am I missing something? Surely you can just turn it off? It's not real. This is the same shit advice the police always give women on social media - leave.

I wasn't giving advice I was asking a question. Did the question marks not give it away?

Of course it can be turned off - it read like a rhetorical question because the question has an obvious answer.

[quote truthfullylying]@Bagamoyo1 No one has said it is anywhere near as bad, but that does not mean it is OK either. No one should be comparing offences, it is not the way the law works.[/quote]
I never said it was OK. But people have likened her virtual assault to the real thing, implying that they are similar. Which they are not.

Well done for being the voice of reason. You are very brave to speak out about your ordeal and comparing cartoon characters on a screen to a real life terrifying attack goes beyond the pale in my opinion

And my opinion, based on my experience if rape, being attacked and left in a shop doorway?

I disagree with that poster, don't think she is wrong, just have a different opinion. One that is not beyond the pale, or any other perjorative.

My opinion is that it is the behaviour that is the issue. That some men choose to use and and all locations to assault a woman. The behaviour is abhorrent and should be decried, every single time.

In short, there is no good place for men to sexually assault women

I am in several groups on FB for women use VR. Stuff like in the OP happens all the time and in most cases, it is carried out by children/young teens. It is a parenting issue. Like games consoles, TV, tablets etc, VR is now the new babysitter of choice. And when there is interaction with other people, parents need to step in and monitor what their kids are doing and saying.
There are loads of new VR users now due to the headsets being given as xmas gifts, and the general consensus is that kids are ruining the experience for people who just want to play a game, or chat about whatever with friends/strangers.

In the same group I am in, some women have found their Meta/Oculus accounts blocked because their kid acted up online and someone reported them.

I assume I will get flamed into oblivion because this is a parenting forum after all, and no one will believe their kid is being a shit to strangers online.

A few people have said that it's primarily kids doing this.

1. How does anybody actually know this?
2. Doesn't that make it even worse?

All those saying why didn’t she just remove the headset/turn it off blah blah blah.

Are we really happy with saying women cannot take part in these virtual experiences because idiot men will virtually assault them?

Whichever way you look at it, the pathetic and frankly creepy behaviour of these men is riding roughshod over the totally valid want of a woman to take part in this Metaverse experience.

Seriously, and that’s ok because we can just turn it off and get back to washing the dishes and sweeping the floors in the real world?

@daretodenim

A few people have said that it's primarily kids doing this.

1. How does anybody actually know this?
2. Doesn't that make it even worse?

You can tell by their voice, and many are open about their age if you ask. Don't get me wrong, some kids are great and are keen to just play a game with you (and sometimes teach you a thing or two), but they should always be monitored and it is apparent that a lot aren't.