Allying with Survivors of Gaming Industry Abuse & Harassment: What Can Men Do?

Trigger Warning: sexual assault, sexual harassment, lack of action by streaming platforms

Editor’s Note:

This summer, so many brave humans shared their experiences with the toxicity, sexual harassment, and sexual violence that women face in many gaming-centric spaces. They have pushed the gaming industry to a moment of reckoning. We are proud to stand with a community of brave gameHERs who have been part of this conversation, sharing their experiences, listening to others’ experiences, and working together to build a brighter future that advances the power of all gameHERs in the gaming world.

As we say in our mission statement, at the*gameHERs we honor all women, marginalized genders, and non-binary gamers. We welcome all humans who support this mission.

One member of our gameHERs community reached out seeking ways to engage and step up as a male ally in this movement. In this piece, he shares several ideas on how men can support women who have experienced harassment and abuse in the gaming world.

As a group committed to creating community, and to holding space for supporters to learn and grow with us, we share this piece as the start of a conversation. This piece is the first of its nature on the blog since the*gameHERs launched, and we’re excited and inspired to gather and share more thoughts and reflections on allyship in the coming months.

We encourage our readers to share in the comments their reflections on allyship. What does being an ally mean to you? What would you appreciate more or less of from male allies?

Together through conversation, we look forward to expanding our minds and hearts, as individuals and as a community, in our forever fight to empower women gameHERs everywhere.

By Paul Mason

Illuminated by recent reports and supported by a long contentious history, it’s clear there is a systemic issue with gender-based abuse and harassment going on in gaming. Here, now, in 2020, there is a watershed moment to be had. The status quo needs to be examined and fundamentally re-established from the ground up. In order to enact this change, the victims of such horrendous behaviour need to be supported. For me it begs the question: What can men do to ally with the victims of this mistreatment?

It’s vitally important for me to confront myself—as a male writer, writing a piece on allyship with victims of abuse perpetrated by men, and as a gamer. Not only is my wish that this piece will assist other males in reaching a point where they can be better allies, but that it will also help me to learn. While I don’t feel as though I’m uninformed, I know that learning how I can be better, and provide better allyship, is a lifelong process.

THE BACKGROUND:

In the latter part of June 2020, a wave of reports were brought to light regarding abuse, harassment and all around toxic behaviour occurring in the gaming industry. The women who made these reports – gamers, streamers and gaming professionals in other disciplines – shared their personal experiences of the disgusting conduct they faced in an effort to bring forth meaningful change within the industry. The spark which notably lit the fire of this movement was a Tweet regarding a then-unnamed player, which prompted three female streamers to bring forth their accounts of disturbing behaviour they were on the receiving end of, all from the exact same player. Within the dozens of comments and replies, were accounts from three women who stated they endured sexual propositions, harassment and non-consensual physical contact, all from this one player. The courage displayed by these women is commendable and the online community supported them wholly, redoubling their efforts to find out the identity of the accused player, so that they could stop supporting him. It did not take long for the name of the accused to be revealed as SayNoToRage, one of the top ranked Destiny 2 players in the world.

This isn’t the first time such accounts have come forth within the gaming community. In 2014, there was the Gamergate controversy, which stemmed from a co-ordinated sexist movement fighting against the idea of progressivism. In 2019, the Me Too movement reached gaming.

The enormity of the issue of sexual misconduct cannot be understated. But as men, we can choose to be allies to the survivors of harassment, abuse, assault, and discrimination in a few ways:

1. TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AS MEN FOR THE PROBLEM

A vital part of this is developing an understanding as to what has transpired. Not just in the video game community, but beyond. The issues coming to light at the moment are unfortunately not unique to just this industry.

In facing up to the abuse, harassment and toxic behaviour, we as men need to take responsibility for our role in perpetuating these behaviours and fortifying the systems that allow them to take place. This is not just with regards to the gaming industry, but any in which structures exist which enable sexism and misogyny.

There is no disguising the fact that the vast majority of these abuses stem from men. This cannot be avoided any longer and trying to do so doesn’t help the situation.

As men, we are the ones who need to change. It’s up to us to look within ourselves, our power systems, the streaming services we use, and the behaviour of our own social groups and seek out change in those spaces. It’s up to us to be better listeners, and to spread awareness about what we learn from survivors.

2. PUSH ABUSIVE INDIVIDUALS OUT FROM POSITIONS OF POWER

We can use recent events at Ubisoft as an example of how certain structures sustain toxic behaviour. As we’ve seen in the media, at Ubisoft there have recently been several notable firings and resignations—all men. These men have been fired and have resigned due to their alleged abuse of positions of power, and alleged acts of emotional and physical abuse against others from those positions of power. Due to mounting pressure within the industry for companies and professionals to act on reports of misconduct, Ubisoft has taken the power structures that enabled the alleged abuse away from these men.

What are these power structures?

Broadly speaking, any such structure is a group of people who adhere to a system of influence. There is a boss, people who possess varying levels of seniority and people who have little to no influence in these systems.

Using the Ubisoft example once more, we’ve been told how men in VP and directorial positions exploit their high-level influence in order to gain sexual gratification or act in ways that are physically and verbally abusive. The power structure at play here has led to a culture of male dominance within the walls of the Ubisoft offices, allowing high-powered, predatory men to indulge in their most disgusting and ugly desires. Based on what allegedly occurred according to the media, this is a case of having terrible men in a male-dominated environment, engaging in abusive behaviour, further enabled by their behaviours going unchecked, encouraged by their colleagues who carry out similar abuses. This model is unfortunately common.

It’s not just Ubisoft; Every corner of the gaming industry has been affected by reports of these power-based toxic behaviours, from larger scale publishers and developers like Ubisoft, to streaming platforms such as YouTube and Twitch, to independent podcasters and talent agents. The misconduct allegedly perpetrated by the men who run and use these gaming institutions include, but are not limited to: sexual harassment, requesting sexual photos from people both of age and underage, inappropriate and unwanted advances, and sexual abuse. An author at the publication Medium has taken the exceptional step of compiling the various reports from victims, to provide them with a safe space to document their incidents of abuse and harassment. The number of incidents reported here are in their hundreds, which is a staggering figure.

Alongside abuse perpetuated by managers and CEOs, it’s important to recognize the role of the inactive observer. By witnessing such awful mistreatment of people and not acting, one further enables exploitation and abuse.

There are many reasons not to speak out within an establishment like a workplace—fear of losing one’s job, fear of retaliation, possibly foregoing a promotion or recognition for one’s work, and in certain cases, fear of harm or violence. Those who abuse power depend on these fears and often very real consequences to sustain the status quo that allows them to continue cycles of abuse.

Looking outside of the gaming industry, we have seen this pattern in the mostly male-dominated industry of Hollywood. Notably, we have seen it in the example of Harvey Weinstein. We know what happened with Weinstein, and it’s another example of a powerful man abusing power in a system that rewards those who keep quiet and severely punishes those who speak out.

Individuals who decry reports of abuse by these high-powered men help sustain the manipulative environments in which they take place. It’s up to us, as individuals within these systems, to take these allegations seriously and demand better from powerful men.

It is also up to those who make hiring decisions to prioritize decency, even when a lot of money is on the line. We have seen for years in the gaming industry these reports of toxic behavior coming to light, with little meaningful action stemming from those in power to address the issues. This trend has seemingly started to change in 2020, when Ubisoft stepped up, firing allegedly abusive male professionals and creating an example that prompted others to resign.

Prior to writing this article, I have had my own share of negative experiences with certain spheres of influence. Writing about the abuse of power makes me think about every professional environment I have been in. Did I miss signs and red flags in the hierarchies I have seen and been a part of? In hindsight, I certainly feel as if I could have done more in previous workplaces.

In several of my previous professional experiences I have been a part of hierarchies, wherein it was commonplace to find power being misused—people wrongfully denied opportunity, others not being listened to and outright disregarded, and others even being given special dispensation despite consistently poor performance. It’s very important for me at this juncture to mention that I have not been a witness to any sexual abuse in any professional environment, I have however seen how powerful hierarchies can abuse their own power. The abuses of power I have seen have proven to be powerful and nurtured reflections in me. Was there more going on than met the eye? I have no idea and it would be purely speculative to surmise that was the case, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel as though I could have done more—be it simply having a conversation to gain better insight, or a more formal look into behaviours. Regardless, by simply doing nothing I feel on some level complicit with the improper treatment I have seen in my time and without exaggeration, it still haunts me to this day. I have often been deemed very approachable and personable in a professional capacity, and I should have done more to exhibit this cherished quality more. Inaction led to perpetuation, leading to reflective theorising—something which is unresolved in my mind to this day.

3. DEMAND UPDATES FROM STREAMING PLATFORMS LIKE TWITCH:

In an article from Wired, several women spoke to the publication describing alleged incidents of misconduct on Twitch. One such account details how Twitch wholly dismissed a report of harassment and inappropriate behaviour. Such inaction contributes to invalidating the details being brought forth, even when there is substantial evidence of misconduct. A “hands-off” approach some might say, but perhaps more accurately it’s mercifully lenient when it should not be. Twitch has since banned several partners and accounts in light of the more recent statements. That’s great, but where was this level of reactivity before? It’s disheartening that more exploitative behaviour took place before Twitch would act.

The unresponsiveness from Twitch up until now is troubling. There are reports going back as far as 2016, where a top Hearthstone player claimed to had been enduring hostile, sexist behaviour. Fusion created a documentary dealing with the issues she has been facing, which is an eye-opening and visceral watch, detailing the hostility she has endured in no uncertain terms. The online publication Kotaku wrote a report all the way back in 2017, detailing just how easy it is to find instances of abuse. Why is it that only now in 2020, Twitch have stated commitment to change, and why has there been such a distinct lack of action up to this point?

One could speculate that the aim previously was to invalidate the reports brought forward and sweep them under the rug. Outside of an update to their harassment policies in 2018, there have been no measures, proactive or reactive, to combat the situation. Coupling this lack of action with the dismissal of accusations up until this point, I believe it’s reasonable to think that the objective was to ignore it, and hope it would go away, prioritizing keeping the male user base comfortable at the cost of the female user base’s suffering. In 2020, the proportions of the abuse cannot be ignored, even for a company and CEO who have been actively doing so up to this point.

The recent actions Twitch have been taking in a reactive sense, but there have to be some measures taken in a more proactive and preventative sense. It’s all well and good to try and do something to help after the fact, however to prevent abuse and harassment is the better route to take, so that women don’t have to experience these predatory behaviours at all.

A role these companies can take is that of an investigator. I’m not talking about looking into reports after they have been made, more that there should be active and consistent investigation by trained employees to see red flags and warning signs of harassment and abuse. This would entail investment into developing a sharper sense of the warnings signs of such behaviours, and accordingly training employees.

Furthermore, stronger harassment policies and harsher punishments are a route that should be explored. Harassment policies are often hidden deep beneath X amount of clicks on any given website. Making such policies transparent and even featured is a step to grow viewership of them. Not only this, it’s important to make them required reading as well. As soon as a user signs up, the precedent needs to be set that abusive behaviour will not be tolerated, and to that end harassment policies should be one of the very first things anyone sees before engaging on a given platform.

In terms of disciplinary actions, it would be prudent to be more strict. From my own experience, abusive behaviour on most platforms operate with a “three-strikes” rule or similar. I view this policy as too lenient, and I feel as though this could be taken advantage of—a player could choose to be abusive on two occasions and get away with it, without fear of significant penalization.

Rather than a three-strikes rule, an educational system could be put in place. Instead of just taking away a user’s ability to use the platform (temporarily or permanently), there is a teachable moment to be had. Detailed reasoning for a ban and further information describing why such conduct is not acceptable can be communicated. Not only this, but perhaps a conversation with an employee from the company should be required. The trained staff member is now in a position to communicate their policies, thinking behind punishments, and also gain an understanding if there could potentially be repeated bad behaviour.

I’m an experienced customer support professional, as a team lead, and agent, and my intuition does tell me that this is possible. Catch-up calls with customers happen all the time, in order for a company to ascertain the success their customer is having with a product or software. Why can’t there be success plans for use conduct?

As consumers, we can pressure the game streaming platforms to make changes like these. One way to apply this pressure would be for males to abstain from using these streaming platforms, unless there are significant changes made to implement serious policy changes, aimed at supporting those who have been victims of abuse and its prevention in the first place.

This would be a financial hit for these companies. For instance, a basic, free Twitch account has ads and this is revenue-generating for them. To take this a step further, cancellations of paid subscriptions would be a significant hit as well. It’s more important than just hitting big gaming in their pocket—it’s the message that is sent while doing so. Male streamers refusing to use these platforms in solidarity with women is a powerful message—males are willing and able to ally with the people who have suffered abuse. This could go lengths to show that structural changes need to be made to support those who have suffered, and to help prevent abuse going forward. Dissenting from using these platforms, and hitting big companies in the wallet, will go lengths to have the message be received loud and clear.

On a more individual level, what can men do?

4. LISTEN, ACTIVELY AND SUPPORTIVELY:

It starts with listening. As I’ve mentioned up to this point, it’s vitally important that we gain as much understanding of the issues of abuse and harassment that women have been experiencing in the gaming industry, and how deeply rooted it is in existing structures.

How do we learn about anything? We start by actively listening to those with experience, and with this particular issue it’s no different. Through this we become educated on the appalling nature of the acts these women have endured, and this equips men to take a more active role as allies.

In the last few months there have been so many Tweets and public statements made, and there is a responsibility for us all to give these women the respect, attentiveness and space that is warranted for such serious issues. Listening is at the heart of the matter and for men looking to ally in ending these problems, it is essential.

When I use the term “listening,” this means far more than just being attentive when speaking with someone. The greater meaning here is to actively digest the statements and comments from those who have suffered. That could mean speaking to someone you know on a personal level, but only where appropriate and if they want to speak about it; there is no benefit to be had from pressuring someone into such an emotional and upsetting conversation.

If you are in a position to speak with a survivor who wishes to talk, there are some key points to bear in mind when doing so. It’s a conversation that cannot be forced, and it has to come naturally, should the survivor wish to speak.

Personally, I have spoken to people where this conversation has come up. Did I do right by the survivor? Unfortunately, I didn’t. I was uninformed and young and did not know how to have that conversation, and I wish I could turn back the clock for that reason.

It’s important to remember you are not there to solve their issues, you’re there to listen and be a supportive pillar when it’s needed. You’re there to support, so be supportive—let them know you’re there for them, validate their feelings and believe them.

In the context of the gaming world this may be a little different than in other environments if you don’t know the person from “real life.” Taking this into account, distance should not dissuade anyone from having a conversation where appropriate and needed. Especially in the post-Covid-19 era, it’s easier than ever to have a chat with someone over a video call or an instant messaging app.

Furthermore, why not speak with them over a gaming session? This is a unique opportunity to have a meaningful conversation in an environment that you both enjoy being in, relaxed while playing a game—obviously depending on what game it is you’re playing! Gaming has been proven to have numerous health benefits, so being in such a setting while taking part in a difficult discussion could go lengths to help the survivor feel supported and at ease.

5. LEARN ABOUT THE PAST TO MOVE INTO THE FUTURE

Historical context is important to have when one is looking to take a more active role in allying with the victims of abuse. Men have not endured even remotely the same level of abuse and harassment as women have in the gaming industry, and because of this there needs to be a concentrated effort in understanding what has happened in the past.

More often than not, reports of misconduct have been treated with feeble statements of “we need to do better,” at best, promising change that never comes, or at worst, being completely ignored. The historical inaction has been damaging and consequently is an exercise in trying to quash the reports of abuse survivors. Empty sentiment is just that—empty.

The statements we’ve seen from the survivors of this awful conduct have been published on a few different platforms, one notable outlet being Twitter. Taking the time to read these reports is a good thing and an important step on one’s journey to better understanding.

6. SPREAD AWARENESS

What survivors may also need is assistance in spreading the message of their experiences. If it doesn’t go against the wishes of the original poster, share these stories. Assisting in generating a sense of awareness surrounding these issues is a positive step to take in reflecting the vastness of it.

7. CALL OUT BAD BEHAVIOUR

One of the core responsibilities for men when it comes to allying with the women who have suffered from such heinous actions, is calling out bad behaviour when they see it. This is an opportunity to put their best foot forward and create real change.

Being a male, I have been around other males throughout my life who have made comments and presumptions about women and girls that have been unfair, untrue and outright wrong. A lot of these times—especially as a younger man who was less informed—I did not call them out and I find myself reflecting on this while writing this piece. I wish I did, and I should have. During these times I was not a good ally, and I hope I am now and will continue to be going forward.

Unfortunately, we still live in a world where some men feel it is okay to victim blame, removing the responsibility from the abuser and placing it firmly on the person who has suffered. This is fundamentally incorrect but regrettably, this still happens. When we see this kind of negative behaviour that perpetuates long-held myths regarding abuse, we as men can now feel a sense of obligation. That obligation? Call it out. Be it on a live stream, comments on a social media platform, or in real life. It doesn’t matter if it’s a friend or a person online who you don’t know personally, or if their defense is that they’re “joking,” there is quite simply no place for it.

On open platforms such as YouTube and Twitch this is of particular import, considering that such a large number of the issues that have come to light lately have been rooted in streaming. Here there are facilities to report users exhibiting problematic conduct. If Twitch’s recent actions in banning users permanently are to be believed, Twitch suggests it is taking a more serious stance going forward.

This policy shift makes me hopeful, but consistency is key. There is no guarantee that outside of the recent bans that further actions will be taken by these companies, so with that in mind there needs to be a concentrated effort to keep on reporting and calling out these behaviours as soon as one sees them. Continued efforts like this are key to supporting survivors of abuse in the gaming industry. Isolated reports are of course helpful in establishing a call to action for streaming services, however they aren’t powerful enough. Continued reports, from multiple people, make the difference between the public seeing an incident as isolated versus seeing the true nature of systemic abuse, how the industry is rife with it, and how it has been allowed to continue through previous inaction.

BEING PARTNERS TO CHANGE

For the men out there reading this, I sincerely hope that what I have detailed in this piece has struck a chord. Moreover, I hope that this piece can be found as an encouraging set of steps to help you play a part in dismantling the status quo of systemic abuse.

As much as this was aimed to be an informative piece, it has also proved to be a source of reflection for me. I’ve found myself re-processing scenarios where I could have been a better ally, and ultimately have found disappointment in myself. I feel better equipped now to be that better ally, but as far as the past goes, where I should have been a better ally, I don’t yet know how to deal with that. I feel that is part of the journey of learning and education that is essential to better allyship.

There is a reckoning within the industry and it is time for male allies to do their part to support and assist the victims, and be partners to change.

I hope I can be better, and I hope that all men out there can be better too.

Paul Mason, photo courtesy of the author

About the Author:

Paul Mason is an Irishman and lifelong gamer, and one of the main contributors to Casual Game Critic, a passion project started by a friend. Where help was needed, Paul happily came aboard. Casual Game Critic is a community of gamers who are all pretty chill! We don't take things overly serious and pride ourselves on measured and considered opinions on all things gaming. When he is not writing articles for Casual Game Critic Paul can be found, well, gaming! Primarily a PS4 player, he loves a nice, long story-driven game. Aside from gaming he loves music, playing guitar, and Dungeons & Dragons. Paul hopes to start creating his own tabletop RPG system very soon, and aspires to make it as a writer. Gaming has the ability to bring us together, and Paul loves nothing more than a lengthy discussion around some of his favourite games and series.

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