Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38093420›Full record

ArticleJournal of forensic nursing

Sexual Violence in Virtual Reality: A Scoping Review.

Carolyn M Porta, Ellen A Frerich, Sarah Hoffman, Sara Bauer, Vedushi M Jain, Cynthia Bradley

Open access · hybridAbstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of forensic nursing. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
3.6field-weighted citation impact, top 7% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Presence Is Reality: Rethinking Virtual and Real-World Consciousness.Perspectives on psychological science : a journal of the Association for Psychological Science · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Carolyn M Porta
Ellen A FrerichAuthor Affiliations: School of Nursing.
Sarah HoffmanAuthor Affiliations: School of Nursing.
Sara BauerAuthor Affiliations: School of Nursing.
Vedushi M JainSchool of Public Health, University of Minnesota.
Cynthia BradleyAuthor Affiliations: School of Nursing.
Office of International Affairs · USUniversity of Minnesota · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOne in four Americans report experiencing harassment online via social media and interactive gaming, which includes physical threats, stalking, sexual harassment, and sustained harassment.

objectiveThe aim of this study was to gain understanding of the state of the science surrounding young adults and sexual violence/harassment harms in virtual reality (VR) as well as possible uses of VR to heal and intervene.

methodsA scoping review was conducted in early 2023 using the Ovid Synthesis Clinical Evidence Manager and the MEDLINE database. Forty-seven articles met inclusion criteria.

resultsOur review found a growing body of evidence exploring incidents, effects, possible predictors, and initial strategies to prevent sexual violence in VR and to use the modality to positively intervene. Limited research addresses the effects of harms incurred in VR on (re)traumatization of survivors as well as the development and testing of VR tools used to educate, deliver bystander interventions, transform biases and perceptions via embodiment, and promote healing among survivors.

conclusionResearch addressing sexual violence in VR is needed and should build on the existing peripheral science on gaming and social media environments. Forensic nursing is well positioned to advance strategies of health and safety in VR, just as in the physical world. Incorporating forensic nursing avatars in VR and deploying diverse resources targeted for college-age young adults to prevent harms in VR should be explored safely and ethically. Forensic nurses are also positioned to assess for VR-related harms among patients and to work with private and government sectors to influence regulations and policies.

Indexed as

Sex OffensesSexual HarassmentVirtual RealityAvatarHumansSocial Environment

Identifiers

PMID38093420
PMCPMC11841731
OpenAlexW4389740865

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.