http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/1998/08/14219
(link explained below)
This article A Rape In Cyberspacce was awkward for me to read. I don't fully understand the need for virtual worlds as it is and then after reading about this rape in cyberspace it became clear to me: I think this is so weird. I really try to be open about this whole idea and although I don't personally use virtual worlds, I can't reject the fact that it is a big part of others' lives. After reading the description of what Mr. Bungle did to the characters in LambdaMOO I was really disturbed. I wasn't sure if something like this could ever happen in a virtual world, but clearly it did. The fact the this actually happened inside a virtual world, and not in real life, just makes it that much worse. No, obviously no one got physically hurt but there is an emotional side to rape that these characters experienced and will have to live with all their lives. Also, the fact that LambdaMOO is completely text- based disturbed me. Not only was it not physical, but it wasn't real, or was it? Rape in a virtual world is just as harmful as real life, to me. Such an action in text form would be terrible. You may not have the physical harm but you have such a graphic description spelled out right in front of you on your computer screen. The only thing I don't get is why didn't they log off? I realize that while you are participating in a virtual world, you cannot control what others say to you, in class for example, but if this were happening to me I would have told him to F*CK OFF and signed off. I guess my point here is that I don't think I would have let it happen to me since it wasn't in real life but who is to say that they would have control in a situation like this? I have never experienced anything like this since I don't participate in virtual worlds but I would hope it never happens.
I know Mr. Bungle got in trouble, or "toaded" as they called it but is that fair? Wouldn't someone who raped a woman in real life get arrested? This is an argument that has been debated for years and the article above talks about virtual courts. This article fits well with this article we read for class and I would hope that if a situation like this happens again, that character should be tracked and sent to jail- for real.
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I completely agree that rape is very emotional traumatizing and that it will cause damagae for the rest of someone's life. But I also agree that I don't think that I would let that happen to me. Like you said, I would just log off. And that is what I would urge someone who feels like they are going to be sexually harassed in the virtual community.
I think that it was important that Mr. Bungle got some sort of punishment. However, I didn't think that the punishment he got was good enough. I agree that they should of tracked down the real person and had real life punishment. That is what is done for real rape so why not this. I mean, there are still real people behind this. Its very disturbing to me as well and I think you did a great job addressing how you felt about it.
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