Several young women have contributed their own experiences playing e-Sports. They hope to raise awareness and find ways to address misogyny online.
The report reveals that female gamers feel isolated online. Lavinia McLean, one of the authors of the report, told City News that women “look to play with others, but because of their negative experiences, they end up gaming silently, and hide their identities.”
She added: “A lot of women are playing with their partners or families. This isn’t through choice, it’s because for many it’s the only safe environment to play in.”
Making gaming safer
The report has been submitted to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Video Games and E-Sports. They make three key recommendations:
Inform parents of the behaviour young people could be exposed to while gaming.
Educate boys at a young age on rape culture.
Safeguard female gamers, and create a safe environment where victims of sexual harassment are supported.
Gaming companies are already aware of the misogyny happening on their platforms. Call of Duty has put in place new technology to filter text chat. Counter-Strike allows users to remove other players from games.
One gamer who contributed to the report is Lisa Kelly. She gave examples of the behaviour she regularly experiences.
“There are so many rape threats just casually thrown in there. On top of generally sexist comments, there’s an extra layer where it gets a bit more toxic. There’s general abuse that we’ve all received like ‘go kill yourself’ or really awful things like that.”
The goal of the report is to make e-Sports a safer and more positive place for women. The YGAM said that while everyone should be able to enjoy gaming, safeguards must be put in place.
For support for the issues mentioned in this article, please visit Glitch charities website here.
Submitted Article
Headline
Short Headline
Standfirst
Published Article
HeadlineFemale harassment in e-Sports on the rise, says new report
Short HeadlineIncreased sexual harassment in e-Sports
StandfirstA new report details the misogyny young female gamers are experiencing online.
Several young women have contributed their own experiences playing e-Sports. They hope to raise awareness and find ways to address misogyny online.
The report reveals that female gamers feel isolated online. Lavinia McLean, one of the authors of the report, told City News that women “look to play with others, but because of their negative experiences, they end up gaming silently, and hide their identities.”
She added: “A lot of women are playing with their partners or families. This isn’t through choice, it’s because for many it’s the only safe environment to play in.”
Making gaming safer
The report has been submitted to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Video Games and E-Sports. They make three key recommendations:
Inform parents of the behaviour young people could be exposed to while gaming.
Educate boys at a young age on rape culture.
Safeguard female gamers, and create a safe environment where victims of sexual harassment are supported.
Gaming companies are already aware of the misogyny happening on their platforms. Call of Duty has put in place new technology to filter text chat. Counter-Strike allows users to remove other players from games.
One gamer who contributed to the report is Lisa Kelly. She gave examples of the behaviour she regularly experiences.
“There are so many rape threats just casually thrown in there. On top of generally sexist comments, there’s an extra layer where it gets a bit more toxic. There’s general abuse that we’ve all received like ‘go kill yourself’ or really awful things like that.”
The goal of the report is to make e-Sports a safer and more positive place for women. The YGAM said that while everyone should be able to enjoy gaming, safeguards must be put in place.
For support for the issues mentioned in this article, please visit Glitch charities website here.
Wandsworth council has just launched its 'Safe Havens' scheme, which aims to provide a place of safety to those experiencing harassment or feeling unsafe.
