The Determination of Virtual Sexual Assault

Abstract

This case study explores the ethical, legal, and psychological challenges of sexual assault in immersive virtual reality (VR) environments. It centers on Barbara, an artist whose avatar in a VR platform called InPlace is groped multiple times without her knowledge by a former employee, Denis, who exploits administrative access to circumvent avatar safety features. Through Denis’s manipulation of the platform’s personal space and haptic feedback systems, he creates a parallel experience in which only he perceives the assault. The case interrogates whether avatar-to-avatar violations—especially those enabled by haptics—constitute real harm, and whether they merit criminal prosecution or are relegated to civil litigation. It further raises difficult questions about consent, digital embodiment, platform responsibility, and the blurred boundary between fantasy and assault in virtual spaces. As VR platforms grow more sophisticated, the stakes of such violations increase, demanding urgent reevaluation of current legal frameworks. The study prompts critical reflection on how law, design ethics, and societal norms must adapt to protect users' bodily autonomy and psychological safety in immersive digital worlds.