First virtual rape being investigated

[Holley]

This morning I read in the papers that a young girl was gang raped in the virtual world. She did not sustain physical injuries, but has the psychological effects or that matching a real attack.

This is bizzare, what a world we are heading into! Surely this can be prevented in some way, as it is just code! But also, are the police not stretched enough without having to now fight crime in a virtual world as well as a physical one! :eek

[Vera]

My first thought when I read the article was it’s ridiculous! But then I thought some more about it and wonder what type of people choose to gang rape in a virtual setting, and are they just playing out a fantasy, are they likely to get hooked on the excitement and then carry it out in the physical reality?

[Caree]

Why haven’t they got virtual police? :doh

I joke! Before anyone gets twitchy! :sly:

Firstly, I agree with Vera, if people do this in the Virtual world, are they simply carrying out something that they will go on to do in real life? I think there has been research done in the past about the connection between animal abusers as children and abusers as an adult, there is a correlation.

Also, not blaming the girl in anyway, but just a thought, if the attack happened in the virtual world, is it not possible to remove the headset and step back into reality so as not to be damaged mentally? I ask, simply as I have no idea about such things, but it makes sense to me.

Personally, I think we see too much of people living in an AI world and not engaging in reality and humanity enough!

[Holley]

My concern is that the code is in the system, why? Why has the virtual world be set up for crime on this level to even occur!

I’d love to hear a follow-up on how the police handled this. I doubt that our native Laws even cover this type of incidents.

[Tom32]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12948027/I-gang-raped-metaverse-trauma-similar-real-world-assault.html

It’s a real odd one, but I guess it raises many questions and helps us to consider the future of AI, the consequences of it and the need to bring in controls and Laws.