UK National Crime Agency says crimes in virtual universes must be treated as criminal offences

The UK's National Crime Agency has requested law enforcement officers to be prepared for potential virtual world-based crimes that could cause physical harm to victims in real life. NCA Director Graeme Biggar stated in an interview with the Evening Standard that rape and murder occurring in virtual reality may need to be considered as criminal offenses.
According to Biggar, users of virtual reality wearing haptic suits will be able to feel the physical impact of rape or murder. Haptic suits allow wearers to perceive actions taking place in virtual reality. This statement is part of a wider interview regarding the potential benefits and risks of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, which has given rise to popular applications such as ChatGPT and Google Bard.