“Not real”, “freedom of expression”, “don’t like it, don’t play”: Responding to gamers defences of Steam rape game
UPDATE: Scroll down to see our response to Zerat Games (developer of No Mercy)
Earlier this week, we exposed 12+ gaming platform Steam hosting rape and incest-themed game No Mercy. In the game, players assume the persona of a man who rapes his female family members as revenge for his mother’s infidelity.
Following our complaint to the Australian Classifications Board, the game was taken down in Australia. Canada and the UK followed, and developer Zerat Games withdrew the game, while our petition hit over 70k signatures – all in less than a week!
In response to our campaign against the rape simulation game, we were subjected to harassment and abuse from gamers defending their access to it (and proving our point in the process). We respond to their arguments below.
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OnlyFans, a subscriber-only social media platform that allows people to sell pornographic content of themselves, is portrayed as a great way for young women to make money, and a better, safer option than traditional prostitution. Some of the dominant media narratives in support of OnlyFans frame it as an ethical alternative to mainstream porn sites, as the means for sellers to have more control over the content they produce, and even as a confidence-building endeavour for women (see our report Side Hustles and Sexual Exploitation).
We’ve previously exposed how OnlyFans puts women and risk and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. An increasing number of young female content creators report degrading and violent requests, abusive and predatory treatment, as well as doxxing, image-based abuse and stalking. We also published an account from former OnlyFans recruiter Victoria revealing how women were exploited and degraded on the platform.
But it’s even worse. A growing number of reports expose OnlyFans hosting – and profiting from – illegal and abusive content, including videos of children, rape and non-consensually produced or shared material.
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