Here's the difference between internet and real life in my opinion:

I am on IRC a lot of the time for myspleen stuff (visit us and chat awhile #myspleen on dejatoons) and for a while my old girlfriend was also on chatting with me and myspleen folks while I was at work ( mind you most of my post here are also while I'm at work).

A member on the channel made some sexual remarks towards my girlfriend a couple times and after awhile she said to me in so many words that it bothered her to some degree. It was all in fun but still, it creeped her out a little

Now in real life, I'm definitely going to confront this man and it could get physical, right? But since it was online I just asked him to ease up on jokes when she's around and I told her something like "yeah, it's not cool if his jokes are directed towards you and I will say something to him...but it is the internet and if you can't handle some of the things being said on the channel then you probably shouldn't come on as often."

That's the difference in my opinion.

I should point that this guy making the jokes is a someone I've known online for 6 years. I consider him a friend and a couple years ago I even visited him in person when I drove through his town on a family trip. He's a nice guy and he makes a lot sexual jokes. He's pretty much and unnamed Admin on the site.