Police Investigate Virtual Sexual Assault on Girl's Avatar

The chair of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, Donna Jones, has announced that police are currently investigating a virtual sexual assault on a girl's avatar. The investigation was initiated following a complaint filed in 2023, as reported by the Daily Mail.

While the virtual incident did not result in physical harm, it reportedly caused "psychological trauma" to the victim, according to a source cited by the Daily Mail. The immersive nature of the virtual reality (VR) experience heightened the impact of the attack on the girl's avatar.

Police chiefs, including Ian Critchley of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), have urged online platforms to take more significant measures to protect their users. Critchley emphasized the risks posed by the metaverse, describing it as a "gateway for predators to commit horrific crimes against children."

"We must see much more action from tech companies to do more to make their platforms safe places," he added.

The impact of sexually motivated attacks in virtual worlds has prompted discussions about potential legal changes. While current criminal law requires physical contact for charges of rape and sexual assault, there are debates about adapting laws to effectively prosecute virtual crimes.

Donna Jones highlighted the need for collaboration between the police and the government, particularly the Ministry of Justice, to identify areas where legislation may need to be revised swiftly.

This incident echoes previous concerns raised about sexually motivated attacks in the metaverse. In 2022, researcher Nina Jane Patel shared her experience of virtual harassment and likened it to sexual assault.

Looking ahead, the National crime Agency has warned that police must be prepared to handle virtual sexual assaults as technology continues to advance.

While the platform where the attack occurred has not been confirmed by the BBC, Meta responded, stating that such behavior has no place on their platform. Meta assured users of automatic protections, such as personal boundaries, designed to maintain a safe virtual environment.