EA releases statement on sexual abuse in the gaming industry

By Brandon McIntyre Published June 30, 2020

Electronic Arts released a statement on its website about sexual misconduct and harassment allegations within the gaming industry.

“In recent days we’ve seen and heard a number of disturbing stories around sexual harassment, abuse, and misconduct in our industry,” started EA’s statement. “We want to be very clear on our position: These behaviors are never OK — not in our communities or any others. Electronic Arts supports everyone that has come forward to report abuse, and we are asking anyone who has experienced any kind of harassment or sexual misconduct in our community to come forward.”

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EA added that it will investigate every sexual abuse claim, “ensuring there is safe space for people to come forward and taking the right actions on behalf of our community. The stories we’ve heard recently make it clear there is still a lot of work to be done in our industry.”

EA provided details on how employees and gamers can report sexual abuse and harassment in-game and online.

“Being part of a gaming community, whether you’re an employee, creator, player, or anyone else, should be a positive, fun, fair, inclusive, and most importantly safe experience,” EA said in the statement. “This is a part of our commitment to Positive Play and we intend to continue to act on it.”

An EA spokesperson provided a link to the previously posted statement when Digital Trends reached out for additional comment.

Beyond its internal efforts, EA’s public statement could provide a guideline for other companies, especially after the gaming industry contends with new allegations.

EA’s announcement comes the week following a series of sexual assault allegations involving Twitch. The streaming service since released a statement on how it also intends to address sexual abuse claims, with multiple female streamers voicing their opinions on the state of sexual misconduct in the gaming industry and Twitch’s response.

Ubisoft also experienced multiple internal sexual harassment allegations last week, with several Ubisoft employees put on leave, according to Bloomberg.

The magnitude of sexual harassment in the industry is unclear as information and allegations continue coming out. However, EA’s actions, especially regarding its workplace guidelines, and the fact that they were made widely available, could set a new standard considering its size and influence in gaming.

Brandon McIntyre

Former Digital Trends Contributor

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