Fantasy is fun! But be careful not to cross the line into reality with illegal activity!
Cosplay is a major phenomenon these days. Thousands of people spend months making elaborate costumes so that they can dress up as characters from books, movies and comics at conventions. Why? Because fantasy is fun. Not into cosplay? Well, perhaps you were a Dungeons and Dragons fan as a kid, or you have a fantasy football league. Even online gaming is a form of fantasy living that allows participants to imagine themselves engaging in things that are completely unrealistic or off-limits online.
The reason we bring this up is because there are some things available online – certain forums, groups and websites – that allow people to participate ‘virtually’ in all kinds of things that are taboo, or even illegal here in Michigan, in real life.
Fetlife.com (which stands for ‘fetish life’), bills itself as the most popular sexual fetish networking site online. It describes itself as “the Social Network for the BDSM, Fetish & Kinky Community.” The site does point out in their online policies that they are exclusively for use by consenting adults, and that users are welcome to trade advice and images of themselves, and also arrange meetings. They are not, they claim, promoting illegal behaviors or practices. However, Fetlife has come under fire in the past due to the role they have played in certain criminal cases.
For example, Brendt Allen Christensen, a master’s graduate of University of Illinois, has been arrested for the abduction of 26-year-old Zhang Yingying, a Chinese scholar. Yingying has not been found, and police presume that she is dead. However, investigators found links in Christiansen’s phone to Fetlife.com, where they discovered threads entitled “Perfect abduction fantasy” and “planning a kidnapping.”
This is not the first time Fetlife.com has been implicated, however indirectly, with criminal activity.
Several criminal investigations and lawsuits have caused John Baku, the site’s original developer, to prohibit hundreds of fetish categories. The reason, as he explained it to users, was that he was hoping to reduce legal liability, along with possible risks to the community as a whole.
However, while many categories have been removed, the kidnapping and abduction threads remain. This has caused a great deal of controversy for the site, as many people believe access to this type of information makes criminal activity more likely. Whether or not it does, we can’t say. However, what we do know is that it has never, and will never, be a legal defense to claim that someone believed a specific practice or activity was acceptable simply because it was available online. That won’t work here in Michigan for sure.
Participating in fantasies is legal. Dressing up and pretending to be and do and say things that aren’t part of daily life is legal. However, we caution our readers to keep the line between fantasy and reality clear. Especially when dealing with fantasies that are considered ‘darker’, or not mainstream. Pretending to engage in illegal activity while online is a choice that usually has very few consequences. Acting on those fantasies in real life could earn you a very long stay in a Michigan prison.
If you or a loved one have overstepped the bounds of legality during fantasy-play, or blurred the lines between real life and pretend in a way that is harmful to another person, you are going to need a highly skilled defense attorney. Whether you’re facing charges for sex assault, kidnapping, abduction or any other crime in Michigan, our experienced criminal defense attorneys can help you. We have spent decades defending the people of Michigan, and we are here to assist you during this difficult time. Call 866 766 5245 to speak with an attorney today.