My project, Addressing Sexual Assault Legislation in the Metaverse, addresses a key issue that our society faces. Technology is ever-expanding, with an increasing amount beginning to work its way into every aspect of our lives. While for many decades people have envisaged a way that we could interact with one another virtually, we may not have immediately given much thought to the new crimes that it could open up. Sexual assault, be it in real life or virtual, has a long-lasting effect on victims. With that in mind, why is it that those who sexually assault in real life are punished, and those who choose to do it virtually walk away free? This is a question that has intrigued me, particularly after seeing a rise in the number of cases of virtual sexual assault. While corporations like Metaverse have attempted to place safeguarding in place through creating a ‘personal boundary’ that automatically activates when in the vicinity of strangers, they are redundant because according to ONS, perpetrators for sexual assault by rape or penetration are more likely to be known to the victim. Although the people who created it had the best intentions, they did not actually understand the scope of the crime that they were dealing with. This is why we cannot leave it up to tech giants to solve a problem a legal problem. Through my project, I aim to explore potential legal reforms to enable prosecution of metaverse sexual assault cases.
Research Outline
This is a brief outline of the research that I am undertaking in Summer 1.