User:Tracy-li/sandbox

Sexual harassment in video games

=Introduction= Sexual harassment is a violation of women’s human rights and a prohibited form of violence against women in many countries. It is conduct of a sexual nature or based on sex. Sexual harassment is conduct that is unwelcome or unwanted. Encompasses a wide variety of behaviors and can range in severity from degrading remarks to unwanted sexual advances and sexual assault. It is aggressive behavior. In addition, sexually harassing causes physical and psychological injuries. Sexual harassment is often widespread in workplace and colleges. Along with more and more female gamers of video games appeared, sexual harassment also becomes a problem in the world of video gaming. =Form= The most common form of sexual harassment in video gaming is verbal harassment and text harassment. Women gamers often received offensive message or insulting voice message from male players. On Fat, Ugly or Slutty website (whose name comes from the words women received online), it is not hard to find examples. “You are a dumb slut, you stupid whore, I would rape you…”, “Hi, beauty webcam chat horny?” and so on. Some women gamers have been offered money or virtual “gold” for online sex. =Cause of sexual harassment= Yu, Annie Z writes that, “even as a new survey confirms that women make up almost half of the gamer population, female players say they are often made to feel like a despised and disrespected minority, regularly meeting with hostility and scorn in the male-dominated culture of video and computer games.” In the world of video games, male players always think women gamers cannot play well, and women should be in kitchen. That causes women gamers feel discriminate against from video gaming. Then Exploding stereotypes and prejudice are often considered as causes of sexual harassment. However, for the causes of sexual harassment, there are still many debates. =Debates about sexual harassment= Though many people show that sexual harassment in video game cannot ignore, there are still debates exist. Aris Bakhtanians, who is a male player in a gaming competition called Cross Assault, claimed that “sexual harassment is part of the culture” of the fighting game community. He pointed that the use of the word “rape” and phrases like “rape that bitch” as expressions for defeating another character, and he has a right to say what he want. The video about he made offensive comments about fellow player Miranda Pakozdi at the competition was broadcast. That causes Pakozdi quit the competition. Later Miranda Pakozdi posted her experience on blog, she threated by others who support Bakhtanians. Jonathan Quamina, one supporter of Bakhtanisns, said, “as a female you cannot get upset if something is said that is obscene if you are hanging out in a room full of guys.” “It is like going to a strip club as a female and getting upset that the chicks are all naked. For me it goes back to freedom of speech. We are a harmless bunch of people. This just guys being stupid guys.” As time goes on, more and more debates about sexual harassment will be paid attention.

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