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Virtual Embodiment of Women's Fear of Victimization
Virtual Embodiment of Women's Fear of Victimization
YUSHIEN, 2024
Abstract
This project seeks to address a common but frequently overlooked gender issue: women’s fear of crime. It focuses on the development of a virtual reality (hereinafter VR) experience that allows users to immerse themselves in the sensation of fearing victimization. Through interactive storytelling and realistic simulations, the game tries to evoke empathy and raise public awareness about the issue of gender inequality.
You can only truly understand what someone is feeling if you've been through what they have. Virtual reality technology enables users to immerse themselves in a wide range of real-life situations. According to Stanford University's Virtual Human Interaction Lab, VR has the potential to enhance empathy towards specific groups such as the homeless, disabilities, and the females (Herrera et al. 2018). In an era where technology increasingly intersects with social issues, the use of VR as a tool for empathy and education is both innovative and necessary. This VR experience offers a unique opportunity to reshape public understanding of gender gap in fear of crime. It is a step towards utilizing the power of VR to foster a more informed, empathetic, and justice-oriented society.
Key Words: virtual reality (VR), critical games, perspective-taking, embodied experience, fear- gender gap.
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