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Tropes vs Women author Sarkeesian vacates home following online threats

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maxcriden

Member
New news = new thread. :(

Sarkeesian, whose video articles showcase negative representations of women in video games, often publishes captions of threats she is sent via Twitter, email and though other communication channels. Many of these threats include sexual violence, while some mention her address and family.

On Wednesday the situation had escalated to the point that she contacted the authorities and vacated her home.

"Some very scary threats have just been made against me and my family. Contacting authorities now," she wrote on Twitter, before adding:

"I'm safe. Authorities have been notified. Staying with friends tonight. I'm not giving up. But this harassment of women in tech must stop!"

Some very scary threats have just been made against me and my family. Contacting authorities now.— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) August 27, 2014


I'm safe. Authorities have been notified. Staying with friends tonight. I'm not giving up. But this harassment of women in tech must stop!— Feminist Frequency (@femfreq) August 27, 2014


The threats and hateful comments sent to Sarkeesian are often in response to her collection of essays, called Tropes Versus Women, which examines why women are often represented as powerless, sexualised and enfeebled characters in games.

Though a vocal, and often abusive, minority of games enthusiasts condemn her work, Sarkeesian's analysis is widely praised by some of the most prominent games industry figures, from Tim Schafer to Naughty Dog creative director Neil Druckman.

Full story and collection of her videos at the link:

http://www.computerandvideogames.co...eesian-vacates-home-following-online-threats/

That's really messed up. Who are these people who not only think like this but also make threats like this? I don't understand people like that at all.
 
This entire thing is so fucked up. I can't even believe it's happening in 2014 America. Or maybe I can. Either way, this seems like an excellent federal launching point for more serious legislation regarding this kind of harassment and handling its perpetrators.

To be fair, the internet isn't only constrained to the United States. Some of these comments can be made by people in other countries too ya know...

You're right. I generalized, perhaps inaccurately, that most of the threats she receives and the sub-population of terrorists on /v/ would be American.
 

Jamix012

Member
The internet can truly be a terrible place, and while I don't always agree with her, the fact like someone can fear for their life because of a video they put on the internet sickens me. I wish her the best.
 

dugdug

Banned
"You SJWs got it all wrong! We don't hate women!" as they basically force her out of her home for expressing her opinion.

Bullshit.
 

fwpx

Member
This is why I will never call myself a "Gamer" in real life. The word has been so tarnished. Disgusting that she has to go through this.
 

fader

Member
I like how people say woman in tech are not being harassed, calling out the woman's who argue for it while being the ones who harass them.
 
D

Deleted member 22576

Unconfirmed Member
I'm finally taking the time to watch TvW:IVG and it's seriously killer stuff. I've been aware of it since the kickstarter but had never made the time to watch it. I've only seen about an hour so far but it's very well researched and interesting.
 

Krejlooc

Banned
I wonder what they said to make her feel unsafe. Judging by the comments I've seen in public places, she already gets lots of vile, disgusting shit thrown her way. Must have been something personal to put the spook in her beyond the normal comments she gets.
 

Bronetta

Ask me about the moon landing or the temperature at which jet fuel burns. You may be surprised at what you learn.
"You SJWs got it all wrong! We don't hate women!" as they basically force her out of her home for expressing her opinion.

Bullshit.

How did she get forced from her home?

Wouldn't be surprised if she's playing it up to make herself seem like a martyr who has to sacrifice everything in order to expose the evils of sexism.
 

Foffy

Banned
I don't dig her videos, but to see people go so far over something as disposable as video games and videos on video games just astounds me.
 
While I have no doubt she probably really did get threatening comments that probably warranted police involvement, this just helps promote herself.
 
Hopefully her and her family stays safe. I also hope that they identify the source of the threats and deal with them appropriately. To be making a threat that makes someone feel so uncomfortable they don't feel safe in their own home is absolutely unacceptable. It only makes it seem trivial and childish that it is over video games' representation of women, but it shouldn't diminish the legitimacy of the threat.
 
Don't blame the Internet, blame the creepy, warped dudes involved in stuff like this.

I totally blame the internet

People already talking about goverment stepping in to regulate this shit

You would think the internet detectives who care so much on their moral high ground could self regulate

Instead I bet they promote this behavior or dismiss is as normal
 
This is really sad. I'm not a big fan of Anita videos but no one deserves this much hate.

This is the most fucked up part. Like, who cares if you don't like her videos. Plenty of people don't like them or care for them. And I feel like most of these people, like yourself, go on with their lives.

WHO are these people with apparently no other purpose or commitments in their life other than ruin the life of a YouTuber? Because they don't like her? Seriously, mother of God, these people.

Whatever. If they're trying to destroy her all they're doing is making her a figurehead for the movement she represents.
 
Not only is this a disgrace to the gaming community, this is down right disgusting from any human perspective. The most recent Idle Thumbs episode is so amazing at taking all of this recent bullshit to task. People who behave like this are the festering shit of the Internet. Fuck off you misguided, misogynistic, assholes. You aren't one of us. You are just a pathetic scumbag who happens to play games.


But yeah, all those dudes are totally right. Women don't get treated any different than men on the Internet. They are just overly sensitive. /s
 
I have nothing but contempt for these people, it is perfectly possible to disagree with someone without sending them fucking death threats.
 
*woman gives opinion on how there are some creepy, misogynistic practices within games*
*defenders of games come to the rescue by threatening her with creepy, misogynistic threats*

Hmm.
 

BatDan

Bane? Get them on board, I'll call it in.
Holy fuck. Whether you agree with her or not, you have to admit this is screwed up.
 

Magwik

Banned
The internet is not a shitty place. the people are shitty and always have been pieces of shit. Its just is easier for them now, unfortunately. Nobody deserves for this to happen to either.
 
Can't say I've enjoyed or been impressed by her work very much, but that's ridiculous. Hopefully it was just idiots making empty threats and she's not actually in real danger.

Not that that makes the threats "okay" or anything.
 

Lambtron

Unconfirmed Member
I wonder what they said to make her feel unsafe. Judging by the comments I've seen in public places, she already gets lots of vile, disgusting shit thrown her way. Must have been something personal to put the spook in her beyond the normal comments she gets.
They posted her address and the address of her parents along with a threat to "rape her to death."
 

FoneBone

Member
The Sarkeesian Effect shitbags ask their followers not to harass her, as it would undermine their claims of her lying about being harassed.

Then one of them proceeded to retweet this:

oCC31BM.jpg
 

KJRS_1993

Member
How did she get forced from her home?

The threats she was receiving.

I wish her the best of luck either way.
Absolutely awful that a bunch of anonymous pricks give someone so much stick for expressing a viewpoint. Really does make you lose faith in people.
 

Experien

Member
If it wasn't for anonymous, I'd think this is too far fetched. I am just shocked. I really don't know anybody who would threaten someone seriously like this or even the lesser threats. Guess I am "sheltered" or something.

Question...would I get banned if I proposed the fully hypothetical (not-based on any evidence) idea that some of these threats could be artificially created to sky-rocket the spotlight of the show? If so, I don't propose it.
 
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