Quote Originally Posted by cariad View Post
In my view, virtual rape should be crime of abuse, and if it is not, it will become so as test cases are brought for consideration and ultimately legislation is moved forwards. It is not a crime of rape since sexual intercourse has not taken place.
I know it's an argument of semantics but it's the word 'rape' I struggle to accept. It's certainly true that real life rape isn't purely a physical thing and that the emotional trauma can be profound and long-lasting. However, this type of harm caused to the victim is the result of a sudden and unexpected physical assault. Is it possible to mentally assault somebody this quickly online? I don't believe so. When people are abused online, whether it's bullying or stalking, it's considered to be a crime when there is a pattern to the abuse. In other words, there is a time factor involved, and laws already exist to punish people who engage in patterns of abuse.

In a case where an individual believes they have been emotionally violated after a single encounter, I believe that person should be counselled to overcome their upset. If the person responsible for causing this upset is caught, I don't believe their reprimand should be severe unless it can be shown they habitually behave in this manner online.

anonymouse