Sexual Crimes in Metaverse: New Frontiers in Forensic Psychology and Legal Challenges

Metaverse introduces novel challenges in the domain of criminal behavior, particularly concerning sexual abuse. Its defining characteristics—heightened presence, embodiment, anonymity, and decentralization—amplify risks and differentiate it from traditional digital platforms. Unlike conventional internet environments, Metaverse simulates real-life experiences with immersive realism, intensifying cybercrimes' psychological impact and necessitating a paradigm shift in legal and regulatory approaches. While digital threats such as the dissemination of pornographic material have long been recognized, behaviors like sexual harassment and assault have historically been addressed primarily within physical contexts. However, in Metaverse, the boundaries between virtual and physical harm are increasingly blurred, as illustrated by the first widely reported case of virtual rape in January 2024, involving the avatar of a young girl assaulted by other users in an immersive gaming environment. This paper, through a literature review, critically examines current psychological and legal perspectives on sexual abuse within the Metaverse. By synthesizing recent empirical findings and documented case reports, the results of this work highlight how immersive environments may exacerbate the psychological toll of virtual sexual victimization, hypothesizing the emergence of trauma responses comparable to those associated with physical assaults. Despite the severity of such experience, significant gaps remain in empirical research concerning the psychological consequences of sexual abuse in immersive virtual environments. This underscores the need for further investigation to better understand victim experiences and inform the development of effective therapeutic and protective measures. Moreover, current legal frameworks are ill-equipped to address offenses occurring in the Metaverse, constrained by definitional ambiguities and jurisdictional limitations. This paper identifies critical regulatory gaps and emphasizes the need for legal standards explicitly designed for immersive virtual contexts. By integrating insights from psychology, law, and technology, it advocates interdisciplinary approaches to redefine strategies for safeguarding users and addressing the complex ethical, psychological, and legal challenges posed by Metaverse.