The Landscape of Sexual Harm in the Video Game, Streaming, and Esports Community

While sexual harm has been studied across a range of contexts, it has not yet been considered within the video game, streaming, and esports community. This study aimed to explore the landscape of sexual harm in this community, specifically, where it has been committed by esports professionals and video game live streamers. Fifty-five victim statements were extracted from online sources (such as Twitter/X and Reddit) and coded into variables relating to offender and victim demographics, offence characteristics, the offence process, and platform(s) used. Descriptive statistics were generated for each variable and Fisher’s exact tests were conducted to examine the differences between adult-on-adult and adult-on-child cases. The findings reveal diverse offence outcomes across the sample, ranging from rape to sexual communication with a child. Some offence patterns can be seen in wider sexual offending literature, such as pre-offence alcohol consumption, offending against incapacitated victims (e.g., sleeping), and offending within an established romantic relationship. However, several offence process characteristics unique to the video gaming community were identified. These included offenders using their position of fame within the community to access victims and bypass the need for other coercive behaviours. Online offences were more common with children and offenders demonstrated a preference for ‘live’ methods, such as voice chat and video calling, rather than instant messaging or sharing images of themselves. This limits the digital evidence left behind and indicates the offenders’ greater technological literacy. The study’s findings shed light into the sexual harm that exists within this previously unexplored context and highlights areas where esports organisations, live streaming platforms, and educational providers can do more to safeguard players, fans, and viewers in this community.

What is it about?

The study explored the landscape of sexual harm within the video game, streaming, and esports community, specifically focusing on offenses committed by esports professionals and video game live streamers. The methodology involved extracting and coding fifty-five victim statements from online sources into variables related to offender and victim demographics, offense characteristics, offense process, and platforms used. Descriptive statistics were generated for each variable, and Fisher's exact tests were conducted to examine differences between adult-on-adult and adult-on-child cases. The findings revealed a diverse range of offenses, including rape and sexual communication with a child, with some patterns consistent with wider sexual offending literature, such as pre-offense alcohol consumption. Unique offense process characteristics were identified, such as offenders using fame to access victims and preferring ""live"" methods like voice chat. Online offenses were more common with child victims. The study provides an empirical overview of sexual harm in this community, highlighting the presence of significant risks.

Why is it important?

This study is important as it provides the first empirical overview of sexual harm within the video game, streaming, and esports community, a context heavily populated by young and vulnerable individuals. Recognizing the unique offense patterns and behaviors in this digital space is crucial for developing targeted protective measures. The research underscores the urgency of raising awareness about the risks of sexual harm in this community, which has so far been overlooked despite the significant negative consequences. By highlighting the extent of the problem, the study paves the way for protective actions and policy development to safeguard community members from sexual offenses facilitated by technological platforms.

Key Takeaways:

1. Diverse Offense Outcomes: The study reveals a range of sexual harm occurrences in the video game and esports community, including rape, sexual assault, and child sexual offenses, with offenders often exploiting their community fame to access victims.

2. Online Offense Prevalence: It was found that online offenses are more frequent with child victims, with offenders favoring live communication methods like voice and video chat, highlighting the ease of access provided by digital platforms.

3. Victim Awareness and Community Impact: Almost half of the victims reported awareness of multiple offenses by the same perpetrator, indicating a significant community impact and the potential for repeated victimization, underscoring the need for comprehensive protection measures.