!! TW: MENTIONS OF SA & S*ICIDE

Activision Blizzard, the video game holding company that created titles such as Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Diablo, is now being sued after a 2-year investigation of workplace conduct. The investigation revealed that women were horribly mistreated by men in the company workplace, and were victim to constant sexual harassment, including groping, rape jokes, and even revenge porn. It was also revealed that men showed up hungover to work to harass women and women were paid less than their male counterparts for the same amount of work (or more), as well as passed over for promotions and micro-managed.

A female employee who was in a relationship with her supervisor had her private explicit photos leaked and exchanged between her male coworkers at a company party. After constant sexual harassment, vicious bullying, and repeated violations of her privacy by her male coworkers, she jumped from the roof of a building during one of their business trips.

She didn't survive.

Rape culture is alive and well, especially in male dominated industries such as video game companies. The constant torture these hardworking women are subject to not only makes them feel unsafe, but has driven someone to suicide. Activision Blizzard has refused to take accountability for their compliance in this vile, misogynistic workplace culture, and as a result, the state of California has filed a lawsuit against them. However, it doesn't end there. We need to help. We need to raise our voices so radical workplace reforms can be implemented and justice for the women affected by this rape culture can be achieved. Women deserve to be paid the same wages as men. They deserve to be respected by men as equals and not be harassed and bullied on the basis of their gender. They deserve to feel safe in the workplace and have their privacy honored. But this cannot happen unless we take an active role in dismantling the systems that oppress women and advocate for their rights.

We can start now with this petition.