UK police probe virtual gang rape of girl's 'avatar' in metaverse
There have been several reports of virtual sex crimes in Horizon Worlds – a free VR game operated by Meta
UK police are investigating an unprecedented case of alleged gang rape of a girl's avatar in a virtual reality game, according to Daily Mail, marking a notable case within the metaverse. The reported victim, a minor, was using a virtual reality headset in an immersive game when her animated avatar was subjected to virtual assault by the avatars of several men.
Despite the absence of physical injuries, authorities acknowledge the potential for lasting trauma comparable to real-life experiences, the report said citing police sources.
"There is an emotional and psychological impact on the victim that is longer-term than any physical injuries," a senior officer familiar with the case told the outlet.
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Concerns about the feasibility of prosecution under existing laws, which centre on physical touching in a sexual manner without consent, have been raised by UK authorities. This has prompted discussions about the allocation of police resources, particularly given the substantial backlog of real world rape cases.
UK Home Secretary James Cleverly defended the VR rape probe.
"I know it is easy to dismiss this as being not real, but the whole point of these virtual environments is they are incredibly immersive," the New York Post quoted Cleverly as saying to the LBC platform.
And we are talking about a child here, and a child has gone through sexual trauma," he added. "It will have had a very significant psychological effect and we should be very, very careful about being dismissive of this."
Cleverly also argued that someone willing to rape a child's avatar in a video game "may well be someone that could go on to do terrible things in the physical realm."
Ian Critchley, lead for child protection and abuse investigation at the National Police Chiefs' Council, supported Cleverly's stance, describing the metaverse as a "gateway" for predators targeting children. He stressed the necessity for evolving policing methods and legislative updates while urging tech companies, including Meta, to enhance user safety.
