Why We Can’t Ignore What’s Happening to Women in Virtual Reality Today
There was yet another report of sexual assault in the metaverse
Last week, it was reported that British police are investigating a case of sexual assault in the metaverse, the virtual reality (VR) space that allows users to interact with each other.
It was filed by a 16-year-old girl who was left distressed after being sexually attacked by a group of adult men while playing a game. As one senior officer familiar with the case told the Daily Mail:
This child experienced psychological trauma similar to that of someone who has been physically raped. There is an emotional and psychological impact on the victim that is longer term than any physical injuries.
A similar thing happened previously to Nina Jane Patel, a psychotherapist who conducts research on the metaverse. She described the experience of being ‘verbally and sexually harassed’ and then ‘virtually gang raped’ as a ‘surreal nightmare.’ But when Patel came forward with her story at the end of 2021, it was met with a mountain of criticism, including assertions that ‘it wasn’t real’ and she could’ve just ‘taken her headset off.’
The latest incident, unsurprisingly, sparked similar reactions.
