Unchecked Harassment at Video Game Company Leads to Lawsuit

You expect your workplace to be respectful of your gender. When you spend most of your day at work, you don’t want to feel sexually harassed. Unfortunately, some companies may not address concerns you have about harassment.

The video game industry often faces criticism for its lack of female inclusion. Women who play video games can face harassment from male players. But a lawsuit recently settled by a Los Angeles gaming studio shows that some companies may also discriminate against female employees.

Lawsuit claims harassment and retaliation

Riot Games, a Los Angeles studio known for “League of Legends,” agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for $10 million. The lawsuit claims that the culture of the company encouraged behavior that made women feel harassed. The complaints include male workers ranking the attractiveness of female employees and sharing inappropriate photos.

Women who spoke up about the harassment also claimed to face retaliation from the company. They said their superiors denied them increased pay and promotion opportunities after they complained.

Riot Games must also improve its workplace

As part of the lawsuit, Riot Games has also agreed to work on the culture of the company. They plan to offer improved processes for reporting harassment. And they will also review wages and promotion policies, making sure they are fair to each employee.

When companies don’t address harassment, it doesn’t stop

Speaking up about harassment can be difficult for employees. And when their companies and leaders either ignore the complaints or retaliate, the employees can grow frustrated. If workers at a company don’t feel like they can complain about harassment, the harassment may continue unchecked.

When you go to work, you expect your company to listen to your complaints about sexual harassment. You expect your boss or human resources department to address your concerns. If they don’t, they can contribute to a company culture that encourages sexual harassment.