A Rape in Cyberspace

What's so different about this "rape" that would catch anyone's eye is just the fact that it occurred in cyberspace yet had such drastic, even if in real life, repercussions. “Guest” characters have the mindset that the LambdaMOO setting is a place to do whatever they wish without the consequences that they would otherwise receive from doing the exact same thing in real life. The line between virtual reality and real life are blurred. The MOOers have created a community that they view is on the same wave as real life, yet the “toading” of Mr. Bungle would mean that they were punishing him with death for the rape (or verbal rape) of exu and Moondreamer. It’s understandable that the LambdaMOO community is considered a safe space for its users and that the crime of rape is a hot topic, but the most interesting aspect of this ordeal is the idea that the users, to an extent, view this community with the same respect as real life. It is as if they all lead double lives, through their pseudonyms, in a world that is anything but fake.