Can "rape" occur in SL?

The real issue is NOT the interplay of 2 AV's in a simulated rape fantasy, or is it that any kind of rape can occur in SL. The issue is how it looks and the emotions it MAY convey to A THIRD PARTY who might see it. LL doesn't give a crap if you play rape by yourselves. They wanna protect their asses the best way they can by ensuring another self-rightious group or reporter doesn't get an eyeful of something that may cause legal problems. I truly suspect it shouldn't be an issue at all if people are careful and private about it. With proper security in place, and in a privately owned location with ban lines up, it wouldn't be that hard to prove someone deliberately cammed into private banned space to view said activities. I have to believe LL would side with land owners in this instance cuz every possible tool for privacy given to us by LL would have been used to prevent outside viewing.

This is actually more likely due to the toughening of rape laws and the stigma of rape in society. The defense "she was dressing provocatively" wasn't considered so ridiculous 30 years ago. I'd be interested to see some of the information you're going off of on this one, actually.



You're actually making a fairly good case not only against rape RP but for registering participants as potential sex offenders.

What about the notion that acting out such fantasies so readily and often enough won't lead to him wanting more or to go further with it? What if one day you don't see him online anymore because he lost his inhibitions and went out and tried some of what you two were doing? One could almost look at you as enabling him to get to that point. This is all hypothetical, of course.

I personally don't have a problem with rape RP existing. I think it's a horrible thing to want to act out but if a woman wants to play the role of a victim of a horrible crime that is the ultimate act of masogeny(sp?) and abuse then that's her own counseling session to attend.

But, it doesn't matter what I think because LL has made thier decision and it probably won't be changed anytime soon.

yes if there is a mis-labeled adult pose ball and you click on it thinking it was to sit and find your avatar in a sexual position then it's avatar rape, but it's avatar rape, hello...

You might want to brush up on the definition of rape.

You can always "stand up" and get off the poseball. In rape you aren't done until the assailant decides you're done.

I looked this statistic up it looks like she is right the number has been decreasing in the US

http://ovc.gov/bjs//glance/rape.htm

Rape statistics are never very accurate since most Rapes go unreported.

I wonder how much the Threat of HIV influences this which was a huge change between the 70s and now, and how much is actually due to Education and a change in Society.

Ok finally posting on this topic.

No rape cannot occur in SL, however they are, or want to, ban depictions of it.

And 'broadly offensive' leaves the door open for any group who hates anything to hire a hack lawyer, sue SL and get it banned too. It is pretty easy and in the US not all that expensive to do.

Avatars that declare homesexuality in their profiles - offensive
All religious symbols - offensive
All child avatars - offensive

Shall we go even furthur down the ridiculous offensive slope?

A lot of people accuse religious groups of all this. What would the KKK find offensive in SL? PETA?

And before you all say well that is ridiculous. Remember this is a country where criminals sue their victims...and WIN?!?!

SL has to wear that sticker and LL needs to have on file the identity and the consent of their users. That's whats coming i think.

And not only Germany DOES ban cartoon depictions. The legal authorities usually just don't do this on their own but wait for an actual report. Take Brain Dead, the second film from Peter Jackson. Was banned as it came out, and now you find 2 versions in the stores (if you look for it). But if somebody reports the shop selling the orginal version, the importeur (?), the shop owner, the salesperson and all former buyers they could find will get sentenced. And never did the police go out and searched all the stores and warehouses for this film. My friend was fined just last year for buying 1 dvd of obvious ketchup splatter far from broadly offensive just because it was still on the list in the shop that he bought one.

Giannia Rossini, I agree that "rape" in SL is not actually "rape" more like consentual rough cyber sexplay. Which would lead me into my disapproval of the use of the word, though that is off topic. Honestly if that floats your personal boat and it's done in apropriate places it's none of my concern or anyone elses. I do however have strong feelings about your one "client" that likes to "murder" your Av when he is done, but again that is for personal reason that should not be imposed on you or others. I am not saying I approve of rape sexplay, I do feel it's inappropriate at best along with all other forms of violence against women, but it is also not my place to interfere in such things where no undue harm is done.

As for those that would go to such places and witch hunt, they are the ones that should be ARed and banned. If they do not approve they can do what I do, see "rape" or any activity I do not wish to participate or witness in the land description and avoid that land. It's not my place nor theirs to dictate what consentual sexplay activities should or should not be allows in sexplay areas, especially when the land owner lables them for such activites.

The only form of sexplay reguardless of the lack of ability to cause any harm I disapprove of is that involving minors, this to me is totally uncalled for. At the very least the two Av's should be of a sexually mature age, though even then I disprove of minors being used in a sexual maner. Use of any minor, Av or otherwise, that is not of at least a sexually mature age is blatent molestation of a non-sexual being and most definately should not be allowed.

In that case, don't things just return to the status quo ante? That was the policy of "Keep it private, perv." I liked that policy. Let's vote it in - You've got a quorum from the Original Four right here on this thread, after all.

You really need to know what you're talking about before you post. The above has been addressed in multiple threads.

"Broadly Offensive" by LL's definition include things like kkk, nazi and other hate materials that intend on causing harm to other people. It's not decided by any "religious group" but by LL. They don't seem to want rape RP because it falls under the blanket of the above in their opinions...which is what counts in this situation.

It's funny that people continue to treat LL like they're some totalitarian government run by 60+ year old white men in suits. I'd be surprised if more than half of the employees of LL even OWNED a suit!!

What is this sticker? a piece of paper with glue? how does SL wear it?

SL doesnt provide Most of the content in SL - people forget that

LL wants Second Life to be considered a Private Gated 3D Internet (for now) where the Land Parcels are the 3D version of web sites.

Thus wouldnt it be up to the Parcel Owner to have the Sticker?

And why should the parcel owner care if he isnt in Germany?

If the Germans visiting the parcel dont see the sticker they should leave.

If a German goes to a US porn site and sees a rape depiction do they charge the US porn site for not having a sticker? or is it the German viewing who was suposed to exit that website?

There is the disconnect involving the eventual expressed interest in allowing all materials not suitable for 13 year olds only on Adult flagged parcels.

Added to the disconnect the same language is used in the context of banning that was used in the context of what was required to be on Mature land only.

Id have to disagree with you that a conclusion was addressed on multiple threads. In fact the Lindens have not cleared this up.

The Issue has merely been discussed on multiple threads, Im not even sure there is a consensus of Forums posters.

The quote in question was taken from the OP's edited version, not the blog.

just had a look on yahoo terms of service http://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/utos-173.html :

You understand that all information, data, text, software, music, sound, photographs, graphics, video, messages, tags, or other materials ("Content", whether publicly posted or privately transmitted, are the sole responsibility of the person from whom such Content originated. This means that you, and not Yahoo!, are entirely responsible for all Content that you upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available via the Service. Yahoo! does not control the Content posted via the Service and, as such, does not guarantee the accuracy, integrity or quality of such Content. You understand that by using the Service, you may be exposed to Content that is offensive, indecent or objectionable. Under no circumstances will Yahoo! be liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to, any errors or omissions in any Content, or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted, emailed, transmitted or otherwise made available via the Service.

You agree to not use the Service to:

upload, post, email, transmit or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable
(i find broadly offensive is the better term )

etc.

Recognizing the global nature of the Internet, you agree to comply with all local rules regarding online conduct and acceptable Content. Specifically, you agree to comply with all applicable laws regarding the transmission of technical data exported from the United States or the country in which you reside

etc.

Yahoo has such a strict ToS and it didn't helped them with big business. Don't get me wrong, i'm all part of the wild west, but the ToS from LL is crap. SL is not separated from RL, it is part of it and the same laws apply. There is no way for the wild west in sl, you have to build that for your own. People have now to learn that the hard way, because LL didn't told them the first time clearly enough. Look at the yahoo groups once and now ...

it's just blind panic about a legal case that LL missed, that not many people for real will have a problem with it in sl. I know wich depictions are illegal and i did see perhaps 2-3 places in my 5 month here that could be at risk. Scenes i heard/watched more who could be problematic, but that would be solved we a clear ToS. Big fuss about almost nothing, i'd say ...

I see.

Okay the OP's editing. Ill correct my post as well

I think that would probably be the Corporate Community.

And on this "Sticker." *I will spare the stampede and invoke Godwins Law on myself*
Wasn't that tried about 70 years ago with various colored bits of cloth people were forced to pin on themselves?

*shakes the mothballs out of her suits*

*GASP*

...she's one of......."THEM"

CLEAR!
ZAPPPPPP!
STAB!
Repeat...

How does this .. In any way .. argue that Linden Lab must be responsible for the content in Second Life, rather than the residents.

How does this .. In any way .. argue that Linden Lab is under the juristiction of Germany's Blue laws?

Linden Labs is responsible .. when .. they are informed some content is in violation of US law and they do not remove it.

Just like any other US based Web Hosting company.

Whether their TOS is crap or not doesnt change their actual liability. No one has ruled that the portion of the TOS reguarding content is not applicable.

PS -
Last I checked Yahoo and Geocities was still in business. (and I checked 3 seconds ago)

I was thinking more along the lines of land tiering

It's not quite that straight forward though:

Robin Linden: "We would like to maintain our approach where the community lets us know when they believe the community standards have been violated. Hence the reminder to use the reporting system.

That said, we may find there are times when behaviors that we have allowed in the past, e.g. ageplay, are viewed strongly enough by some jurisdictions that we have to decide, for the sake of the business that we aren't going to allow them any more. I doubt very much that ageplay is the last behavior that will come under this scrutiny."

Robin isn't sure where this is all going to end or what will or won't be allowed. This is an evolving policy.

They are not, but the ToS is not clear enough



They are not (as long as the servers are not in europe), but the users are



That's just the reason for the blog i think, they have to be informed.



lol, then we will be monitored and scanned for keywords in chat like any other US or Europe Web Hosting company is



hope not, that's the best part!



It was Yahoo Groups and now Yahoo is just 2nd class ...

Yeah, so they can go back to doing the real thing. What the hell?

If they're going to do the "real thing" because they can't get their SL fix then they shouldn't be on the streets. Since when did SL become a sex offenders drop in centre?

No.