British police are investigating the alleged gang rape of a girl’s avatar in a virtual reality game, in what is believed to be the first probe of its kind involving the metaverse.
The alleged victim, identified only as a girl under 16, was wearing a virtual reality headset in an immersive game when her avatar, an animated representation of her, was raped by those of several men, the Daily Mail first reported.
Although the accuser did not sustain any physical injuries, she may have suffered trauma similar to someone who’d been raped in real life, police sources told the outlet.
“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.
Still, UK authorities fear it might be impossible to prosecute under existing laws, which define sexual assault as physical touching in a sexual manner without consent.