Topic

On Monday morning, Nov 21, my character was sexually harassed and the offender pretended to rape me. The player was not suspended, even though another player who only joked about rape was.

I'm a in a group that takes shifts on Wickdoon Mood to tend the trees there. While on shift, a typical troublemaker became aggressive and raped my character. He went up behind my character moving rapidly back and forth. He then commented on the state of my ass after performing the action, and taunted me by laughing with the '3' key.

I was horrified, and I told only close friends about what happened. I had never used the 'abuse' system and was hesitant because of the nature of the abuse. Live chat finally encouraged me it report. When did, I recieved this message from staff:

"Thank you for your report. We have taken note and will keep aware of any further reports related to this player. I suggest that you block this player to keep them from harassing you. In the future please use the 'Report Abuse' right away so that we can see the context and what was said. Thank you."

The ToS state "...all of your activities in connection with the Service ... are automatically logged" and yet there are no records of the event, not in local, or private, or live help chat? Even worse was the insinuation that my rape report wasn't good enough to do anything except 'keep aware' of him until he abused someone else. I tried dismissing it as a mistake on behalf of staff for losing or erasing the logs, and assumed Tiny Speck only punished players who interfered with the game itself.

Then I learned Tiny Speck suspended a player for saying 'rape' as a joke. I am furious. If a rape joke is a suspendable offense, a rape act should be worthy of a ban. My rapist is permitted to walk around free to taunt me, while a controversial character makes a dumb joke and gets the boot. I joined glitch because a friend told me it was not a place where I could get murdered, assaulted, or raped. Now every time I see my rapist online I want to play less and less, and I'm now at the point of quitting.

So I want justice. Either way Glitch is going to lose a player. Tiny Speck can either ban the rapist troll (they know who it is), or forfeit a long time benefactor and contributer.

Since glitch is one big community, I would like to appeal to that community now. If I've ever traded or cooperated with you, partied with you, had an engaging conversation or in any way treated you with kindness, please stand up for me now in the comments and vouch for my honesty and good character.

I cannot continue to play in the same game as the person who raped my character. If Tiny Speck really wants to make a statement about rape, punish the actual rapists, not just fools who make dumb jokes. 

Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink

Replies

  • Vinchon, actually, yes, that kind of behavior in real life can get you charged with illegal sexual contact, which is the term that covers rape as well.  It doesn't have to be naked body parts touching.
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Windborn well I guess your right on the actual law side. I guess I'm only arguing about the actual act of rape.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ok not really simulate rape, fine, I retract that and apologize for that. I have no idea about the subject and shouldn't have said anything.

    Maybe we could at least know the method taken if (Giants forbid) the incident happened to someone else at Phase 1 (Verm's status). That way that person could understand their situation should it happen to them, circumventing that a subject attached to real life is used.

    If that makes any sense.

    @Vinchon thanks but there's one key detail most of us are missing.
    Posted 12 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ANYBODY reading "Tiny Speck took no action against my rapist. Apparently it's ok to rape another player as long as you don't make a joke about it." 

    Would think that an actual rape took place. "my rapist" and "it's ok to rape another player" and so on. This has been blown WAY out of proportion and acting like this is in any way an actual rape is IMO a real mental health issue. 
    Posted 12 months ago by Aviatrix Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ANYBODY reading "Tiny Speck took no action against my rapist. Apparently it's ok to rape another player as long as you don't make a joke about it." Would think that an actual rape took place. "my rapist" and "it's ok to rape another player" and so on. This has been blown WAY out of proportion and acting like this is in any way an actual rape is IMO a real mental health issue for the OP, and while I appreciate that many forum posters want to offer kindness and support, diluting the meaning of rape is NOT socially productive. 
    Posted 12 months ago by Aviatrix Subscriber! | Permalink
  • QUOTE FROM ROOK: On top of that, that same guy would report anyone who interacted with him.
     erm no. I have never reported anyone in this game.

    @Vermilion: I raped you.......really? if that is the case, another one of your group raped me. If I am banned then they should be too. I never said I was raping you, If I said something you deemed inappropriate then by all means report it, GMs do their job without forming your own forum lynch mob and that is what this. nice how many members of your group come in and say you are an outstanding person, all trying to get me banned.

    face it, this has nothing to do with my supposed "rape" and everything to do with my planting bean trees in the zone your group has claimed. its laughable. you will literally try anything for the 4 wood trees but this is a low for someone so respected. Like I said, the report option works without this forum lynching.

    just saw your post about quitting the game. seriously....the lengths you will go to for those trees man.

    @Rook: I never said rape, I made one comment about his ass.
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Blanky: I did not name the player nor am I asking you or any staff member to reveal the name or the decision that Tiny Speck ultimately makes. It will be easy enough for me to learn through friends whether or not the person I posted about is still active in the player world. Until then, I won't be leaving my house.
    Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Vinchon that IS the actual act of rape.  Rape is not defined by naked body parts.
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you Pope Joan. I also find it somewhat offensive to talk about it in that way, but that's just me.
    Posted 12 months ago by Rev. Desdemona Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Rook lol actually I didn't really understand all of what you said there.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Windborn I guess everyone has their own opinion of what rape is.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Psibertus he never told us your name. Well, I never knew that for sure.

    Wait are you even the subject of the matter?
    Posted 12 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • No, Vinchon, that is what rape is legally.  It's not my opinion, it is how rape is defined by the law.

    It's perfectly fine for people to pretend that only their idea of rape is "really rape".  Fortunately, real rape is defined by law and includes all the aspects of rape, not just naked body parts.
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Windborn Again I already agreed on you about the "law" side. But that's not what I was getting at.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Vermilion and his Wickdoon group are just cyber bullies.

    I made one comment I shouldn't and Stoot or his Mods said they dealt with it above.
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Windborn Laws aside, if you were to ask random people about what they think of when they think rape, I think you'd get one keyword from majority of people. Again I get what your saying about the "laws" of it.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Psibertus: I've since resigned from the Wickdoon club. It is not about the trees. All sorts of people kill the trees on that street, and I do not report them because it's a public space and killing the trees there is not against the terms of service. I do many, many, things in this game, and the trees are a small part of it. Also, I did not reveal any names in this forum.
    Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Pope Joan: I've changed the title because you were right that it was too much. I wrote most of the post in anger. Again, I am NOT trying to trivialize what real life rape survivors have gone through. I'm sorry.
    Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Vinchon, I suggest you read this post carefully before you keep saying that the definition of rape is as narrow as you claim.
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I did not rape him.............
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Ok psibertus you decided to come out on your own and admit to being rather nasty. Fine. However not ALL Verm's friends belong to the group you are referring to.. you assume too much actually.

    To be very honest I couldn't give a ripping hoot about Wickdoon Mood and the infamous wood trees. I am not part of the group and to be honest I was a few that felt that many wood trees was a bit too many on one street. HOWEVER when I went to that street I RESPECTED the group and what they were trying to accomplish and left it well enough alone and moved on to another street, in fact I even put antidote on a couple of trees that some players were trying to poison. YES! There are other streets with different trees on them <gasp> and I went there to harvest what I needed instead of creating arguments and unhappiness.

    For you to go there and harass other players is just outright mean and intentional. Why not just walk away? You don't have to approve or like what a group does.. but you sure as hell can show some respect.
    Posted 12 months ago by Casombra Amberrose Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Vermillion: Oh jeez... D: I'm very sorry that happened to you, hon, and I'm here if you want to talk--let me know and I'll get in the game. *hugs* I fully agree that that is completely unacceptable, disgusting behavior. I also initially thought that Glitch was, for lack of a better term, a kinder, fluffier sort of MMO, where something like that would never happen. The last few days have shown that there are some bad apples--and trust me, I've noted names--but, overall, I'm very proud of how the community has handled this, and plan on staying here for a good long time.

    However, that said...would it be possible to change the title to something less upsetting? Initially, it reads as comparing a virtual act to the physical act of rape, which can be hurtful.

    Blanky: I wanted to thank you and the other staff for not overlooking or minimizing the events of the past week. In the sea of media where things like this are handwaved aside, seeing it actually taken seriously is heartening. Thank you.
    Posted 12 months ago by Shiromisa Kaya Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Ed Anger: This is the first general forum complaint I've ever made and it is about an experience that should not have happened to me. For you to suggest I have an attention-seeking mental disorder is cruel.
    Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @WindBorn I'm not trying to put a definite answer to what rape is. But I think most people here kinda understand just exactly what I'm referring to.
    Posted 12 months ago by Vinchon Subscriber! | Permalink
  • As Casombra Amberrose said you came out into the light, or made yourself more into the dark if you're even the real guy.

    #History

    When Verm created Wickdoon Wood Preserve it was meant to stick with Wickdoon, what everyone else did on their own was not related to the origin of the group and most likely developed on it's own.  The only offense I did to you was answering or stating that there are bean trees elsewhere so focusing on this street really didn't make sense. 

    When Verm told me about the situation he said that the person who harassed him would report whoever used the interactions and one of the reports came into the fruition of a wrist slap. (It did needed to be done for the sake of doing so). Being scared I didn't anyone else to be a "victim" or that person, so I asked him what warning he could give us so we would not get in trouble for interacting with someone. (Say you get a cubimal from someone and you gave them a hug, then they report you, that kind of thread would be annoying as hell IMO. Not commenting Staff side at all, since I don't know anything). And he said "let staff handle it".

    tl;dr For the record Verm kept it so secret that even if you were admitting that you were the person who "affected" him, I am still not sure.  
    Posted 12 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • well that person wasnt me Rook, cause I know for a fact I have never reported anyone.

    I was called a griefer and reported JUST for killing wood trees and replacing them.

    Some people in this topic need to come down off their high horse. I did not rape anyone.
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • When I first met Vermillion, I thought he might be a reasonable, marginally friendly person. Then I found out he was badmouthing me and telling at least one person that they "can't" talk to me. So, since you're asking for character references I have to state the following: He has NEVER traded with me, cooperated with me, nor treated me with kindness. I would not take anything he says as the gospel truth, unless I witnessed it first-hand.
    Posted 12 months ago by Audaria Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I am glad the title was changed, and it makes me sick that people in this thread (WindBorn, tis, etc) are saying that this harassment was exactly the same thing as real life rape. Yes, it was an inexcusable act of sexual harassment, and nobody here said it was OKAY. The difference is that literally anyone in this situation could escape it simply by clicking the X button in their browser. That's infinitely more power than a real-life rape survivor has over his/her assault. I respect Vermilion's feelings about being persistently harassed by this player. I don't respect the idea that "internet rape" is the exact same thing as getting actually, physically, inescapably violated. 
    Posted 12 months ago by Effigy Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Windborn -  there is a distinction between crimes in which penetration occurs and where it does not occur. As a survivor of both sorts of sexual crimes, I can assure you that there is quite the difference between the two mentally and physically. Fortunately, the law recognizes this and while they may all be under the same primary heading of the law, the subheadings are quite clear and Rape is legally defined as "Rape". At least in one state. 

    I have to agree with Vinchon - I reacted in a very visceral manner to this post. And apologies to the original poster as I do not want to imply that this was their intent, but it seemed very much to me like that was the point and that there was no care to how it would appear to people who have been through such a thing. I can handle all the "imma rape you" talk, but to state flat out that an avatar on a computer screen was raped and to call the person who did it a rapist was, unfortunately, offensive to me. I do think there is a big difference between an avatar walking back and forth across a screen and being forced to have sex against your will. One is perpetuated by a rapist, the other is not. It strikes me as odd that this is even a discussion.

    This does not mean that what was done was not upsetting or that it shouldn't have been reported. But it was not rape and the guy who did it is not a rapist. 
    Posted 12 months ago by Vera Strange Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Psibertus, then your case is completely different ! :D Again how he didn't mention your name... anyways, the thing is you were probably called a griefer because you killed trees and sold the beans on the auctions forcing them to replant   with wood beans at higher prices --- Although that's just a theory and I don't know what's clear on both sides. So right now you are a wise reputable person. Take your golden book of insight and spread your wisdom.

    @Audaria ok, that's fine that you're countering the support of Vermillion's but you aren't willing to understand two things which "reimburse" Verm's "legitness".

    - He made a deal with you, half wood, half bean awesome! <3
    -People got upset/unsatisfied with his decision in his group and  the majority vote was all Wood, then he said that future events shall occur like a tree war, prepared us with a warning, as the benevolent person he is, so on his spare time or our spare time we'd keep the street wood.
    -Now, a person new to this thing, being compassionate tried to comply with you  and it all went well! He understood your POV and said what you said to him... and being upset with all the "greifing" and tree wars, Vermillion said that it was futile to talk to those people on the other side you could say, and probably said it would be best not to talk to you, or the exact phrase you used. This was most likely because he  gave his advice based on his experience with others when he would talk to them to make a compromise or leave the place alone. And (the person) who joined the group late didn't know that we had shifted to just making the whole street all wood so he acted the same way - Vermillion made a  deal - with  you...

    I hope that make sense. 

    On your defense you said that's your favorite street, so I guess you'll need to address to in game matters with people who want it all wood. Especially now that Vermillion has left the group...

    So your claims are really true... you just missed history ,or he swore his life (exagerrating) on that first compromise. lol! 
    Posted 12 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Context to audaria's post: When I was in wickdoon mood group (which supports a 4-tree wood preserve) there were several players to whom I tried explaining the purpose of the preserve. As expected, some people respected the preserve, some didn't and tried to poison it. I regularly tell new members in wickdoon group that talking to the people who poison is not recommended because we have tried talking to them before and it didn't help. I also repeated your own position about the reserve, which you told me personally, to those members. That is not bad-mouthing you. I have only restated the things you have said yourself.   

    This thread is not about our stupid tree squabbles. It is about what another player said and did that was against the terms of service.
    Posted 12 months ago by zZzZzZzZ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • ^^ That's a tl;dr if that works. 
    Posted 12 months ago by Rook Subscriber! | Permalink
  • How about we NOT act like jerks to other players? 

    Whatever terminology is used, you know darn well when your behavior is inappropriate or crude. Grow up and choose other methods to interact with other people that are less offensive. Your friends who understand your ribald / channer-ish sense of humor are one thing, but people who do not should probably be left alone. They may be "too sensitive" as far as you are concerned, but that doesn't make it right for you to deliberately antagonize or bother them. How about NOT using language or actions intended to invoke "rape" in this game? If you seriously like that sort of disrespectful, sexually aggressive crap, there are plenty of other MMOs where you can roleplay an aggressive, misogynistic, deviant asshat all you like.

    Why do we continue to have threads where one player insists on roleplaying an obnoxious or irritating character in Glitch and then acts surprised when called out for socially destructive / non-cooperative play? Didn't the first couple of threads indicate to the community at large that when you roleplay, your right to act out ends when it begins to infringe upon others' enjoyment? You can try to roleplay whatever you like, but you can NOT demand that everyone else just go along with your roleplay idea or persist in your roleplay game once people are telling you they do not want to buy into it. 

    Want to roleplay a thief? That's not OK unless people say, "OK, I will play that game with you."
    Want to roleplay sexual harassment? Not OK unless people agree to play along.
    Want to roleplay stalking or trash-talking or humping people or whatever? Again, NOT OK unless folks around you agree to play along.

    Guess what? Vermilion made it clear that s/he did not want to play along. Verm is not the person who needs to change or "get a sense of humor" or "lighten up." Verm's roleplay did not require consensus from anyone. Roleplay that involves spamming "humping" actions and making comments to underscore just what is intended was clearly unwelcome. Guess who was in the wrong, for trying to force non-standard roleplay on someone else who did not consent to play along?

    When someone is being a jackwagon/immature/annoying/harassing/obnoxious/whatever and blocking and reporting, ignoring, and walking away are all options, I vote that we exercise those options if someone unpleasant is in a particular area and making you unhappy or uncomfortable, especially if s/he then follows you around to spam unwanted conversation or actions at you.

    Verm was not "raped" but s/he was certainly harassed. Was this really brought on by a disagreement over limited resources like wood trees? Both sides need a little more perspective, if so. 

    Be more decent to each other, please, and stop trying to play innocent after forcing obnoxious roleplay on the community. If you have not received permission from other players to roleplay a jerk AND your actions or comments are upsetting others, then you are probably Doing It Wrong.
    Posted 12 months ago by ✰ Lorelei ✰ Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Thank you very much for editing the title, it's very appreciated. :)
    Posted 12 months ago by Shiromisa Kaya Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Lorelei laid it down!  +1000
    Posted 12 months ago by Sloppy Ketchup Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Vermilion: I always undercut everyone with much cheaper prices for my seasoned beans, and as I have said before, it is my primary source of income regardless of whether I kill trees or not.

    and I donate planks to Pot :)
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Way to blow things out of proportion.

    Seriously, rape...really, rape? From my point of view, he did not pretend anything. He moved around some 2d pixels in a game.

    You simply block the player. Move on.

    P.S. Did you seriously used the word rape? I'm kinda insulted by that.
    Posted 12 months ago by BTS0x0 Subscriber! | Permalink
  • +10000000 Thank you Lorelie!

    I play Glitch specifically because it's NOT that kind of MMO environment where people feel license to be jerkfaces to each other. I know I won't like or get along with everyone in the game but most people have been delightful, and even the less delightful are mostly adult about things. I'd really like it to stay that way.
    Posted 12 months ago by Epilady Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Let's let the healing begin.  For the next hour, I will be in Wickdoon Mood distributing hugs and kisses with my emotional bear.  Time to put some happy back onto this street.
    Posted 12 months ago by RoboYeti, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I don't know the definition of rape but whatever this is it is forced sexual interaction accompanied with humiliation of the victim.    It may not  have the physical damages of irl rape but it has the psychological humiliation aspects of it (that would be a big part of irl rape damage too).  The continued debate about it is probably just making him feel worse.  If ever there was a thread that needed to  be closed this is it (and I hate closed threads, so I don't say that lightly).

    If vermillion has been simmering with anger about this I can see how it would be hard to continue to play the game in good faith without some of that anger interfering with other aspects of the game.  
    Posted 12 months ago by Treesa Subscriber! | Permalink
  • What Lorelei said. In fact, that succinct brilliance could basically be copy-and-pasted in several different threads in this forum.
    Posted 12 months ago by Pascale Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Block him, keep playing

    Or quit, doesn't make too much of a difference to me

    On the other hand, your continual use of the word rape, and trying to insinuate that what happened is in any way like it, is rather offensive
    Posted 12 months ago by Xanax Subscriber! | Permalink
  • this "incident" happened a few weeks ago, BEFORE I made the truce in wickdoon mood with Vermilion, me and him had been talking briefly most days after that, until the truce was voted off by his group, I told him I did not want to communicate with anyone from the group and he was fine with that.

    then days later he is so traumatised by the rape that he is considering quitting the game.

    do not be fooled, this has nothing to do with the "incident" and everything to do with getting me banned so he can have his beloved wood reserve. 
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Quit.

    Please just quit.
    This is highly offensive to those who have actually been raped.
    Posted 12 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Volkov, thank you very much for that <3
    Posted 12 months ago by Rev. Desdemona Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Vera Strange
    Where I live it's all Sexual Assault (first degree, second degree, etc), there is no separate definition of "rape". In fact the term "rape" was removed from the statute when it was revised.  
    Posted 12 months ago by WindBorn Subscriber! | Permalink
  • @Volkov: you are seriously saying that moving my character and saying "Nice ass" once is rape? 
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink
  • I sure dont mean to make light of this, but why not just block the person, report them, and move on?

    Why make an entire post in the forums about this stuff???  Good God!
    Posted 12 months ago by Innie✿, Obviously Subscriber! | Permalink
  • Did I actually say that it was?
    No.
    This whole thread is turning out to be one big mockery.
    Posted 12 months ago by Volkov Subscriber! | Permalink
  • well its hard to tell what you mean ^^
    Posted 12 months ago by psibertus Subscriber! | Permalink