Boards›Player Behavior

Rape Culture

FoulOwl13·12/17/2016, 6:42:31 PM·8 votes·2,294 views

Hi Riot/Anyone who reads these,

I feel as though there is an ongoing issue in League when it comes to player behavior and speech in general. In this specific post I was wondering if there was any way that Riot could make a PSA that using the term "rape" in regards to gameplay or anything in League is highly inappropriate and shouldn't be tolerated. I was glad when Riot decided to ban hate speech and gave players the option to report others that used it, but I really do believe that flippantly using the term "rape" should be included. It only encourages rape culture and normalizes the idea that sexual assault is something that can be as inconsequential as beating an enemy team or player, etc... I am all for free speech but just because we have it doesn't mean we don't have consequences for what we say.

TLDR: I think it would be very beneficial for Riot and for the League community at large if there were to be an official Riot PSA concerning hate speech and rape culture.

Thanks for your time.

-n00bsauce13

38 Comments

Deep Terror Nami12/17/2016, 6:59:58 PM14 votes

It's understandable to take a stance against using the term "rape" in this context, but I think it's really pushing it to suggest it in any way normalizes sexual assault on any level.

Should it be filtered as mature language? Sure, maybe it already is.

Should it be treated the same as hate speech? I don't agree that it should, but it is undoubtedly a negative term so I don't think it's out of the question to suggest it could be a reportable offense. However, even then I think you should just ignore it (or use the mature language filter if it's on the list); I don't believe it's as big of an issue as you claim it is.

Edit: And no, I absolutely do not say it myself. I personally do not think it's ok to use.

Zelorxon12/17/2016, 7:02:30 PM10 votes

https://www.tumblr.com/

*wears a necklace of garlic

Go away. †

ElysMustache12/17/2016, 7:01:29 PM5 votes

You have some basic hippy liberal misunderstandings here.

Comparing something to rape doesn't normalize rape.

The underlying problem is trying to make men and women the same, when they are no5 the same. What this does, is it has the effect of devaluing women. The way it does this is by measuring a woman against what a man is supposed to be, at which she inevitably fails. Just as a man would if we deludedly attempted to measure a man by what a woman is supposed to be. We should preserve the perceived value of women by measuring them against what women should be. The lie is that feminism empowers women. The truth is that traditional values protect women, and they are in need of being protected, and they are precious (valuable), and worth providing with protection.

Jeanne fan club12/17/2016, 6:57:39 PM5 votes

You can't control what people say, and if you try to put barriers on what they say they will fine another way around it. The mute button is the only way to stop seeing words you don't like. It was also implemented because most people don't care about using those words, so they don't report people who use them.

Just use the mute button, it fixes everything. You don't need to see words you don't like, and the person doesn't get banned for using a certain word that you personally deem offensive. If riot were to be banning people for offensive words, then it would create more problems, such as, "who deems if a word is offensive?" Also some words like the "N" word are only offensive to some if a white person uses it, but not offensive if a colored person uses it. Language is too complicated to have barriers put on it, that's why there is a mute button, so you can personally chose what you want to see and hear, and not see and hear.

Pandemic Punch12/17/2016, 6:58:07 PM4 votes

That is pretty much the same thing but a lighter version of, "fucked". If you take the word rape away then you will get something else you are offended by. Just mute everyone if you are too sensitive.

As of matter of fact, this post is counter productive. You give the word more power and notoriety by bringing this much attention to it.

Mister Punches12/17/2016, 7:28:05 PM4 votes

Rape isn't technically hate speech, but it is up there in felonies. I agree with you though, that rape should never really be taken as light fun. I've already had to deal with one friend who got raped, and it was easily one of the hardest things I had to go through when I was still a high school sophomore, while she was a senior. So, I don't like using rape as a form of joking, or any form of euphemism.

Though, it is common knowledge to many that joking about rape is frowned upon in all forms of society. It makes the person using it look heartless and probably won't look well upon others around them. It really depends on a person as well. If someone is against rape and they have a pretty good reason for it (i.e. the person was actually raped, hence why they are against it), then by all means, they have a right to be offended. I haven't been raped at all, but I have had to deal with it, and it's never a pretty sight, so I'm against it.

Though, you're really preaching to the choir. I'm sure a lot of people on this forum are against it, and probably would call someone out for it in real life. Though, even with the PSA from Riot, people in this community will STILL joke about it, will still ensure that others will be miserable. That's just how some parts of this community are. It wouldn't really do much if Riot made a PSA about it, unless they took action, but even then, there would be a community backlash or something like that if it did happen.

redniwediS12/17/2016, 6:57:06 PM3 votes

Language is a very flexible thing. It constantly changes, and words change with it. For instance, I can use the word fuck without it having any sexual meaning. With minimal changes it can be a meaningless exclamation, it can mean someone is being an idiot or a troll, or it can mean you got screwed over.

The same is true with the word rape. It and fuck are synonyms when using the correct meaning. What you need to do is see these words, which are spelt the same, as different from one another given their meanings. When rape refers to nonconsensual sex it is pretty darn offensive, and very few people would claim otherwise, but it's hardly offensive when describing being one shot by Veigar. It's definitely a poor choice of wording, but it's hardly worth a punishment.

Automated reporting systems cannot distinguish between these different meanings. The meanings, and thereby the intent behind the use of the word, is what makes a word or phrase report worthy. A PSA might be useful, but adding words that have both offensive and non-offensive meanings to Riot's punishment system is not going to do anything positive for League or gaming as a whole.

Akali Prime12/18/2016, 7:13:16 PM2 votes

30 bucks this is a feminist tumblr user

GULAG 4 U12/17/2016, 7:00:32 PM2 votes

?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?? ? ? ? ????? ? ? ???

PrimeWraith12/17/2016, 8:54:37 PM2 votes

when you put "n00bsauce13" at the end it was cringy as fuck. You are not a lawyer, so don't put that sht at the end, ok?

BlueBilberry12/17/2016, 9:16:49 PM2 votes

I sympathize with your feelings. However, how familiar are you with what Riot has done to reduce sexism, homophobia, etc.? For example:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/05/16/online_harassment_in_video_games_how_riot_games_remedied_its_league_of_legends.html

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2015-07-08-homophobia-sexism-racism-reduced-to-2-percent-of-league-of-legends-matches

Now, I haven't checked whether "rape" is a word that can be banned/censored in chat (I try to avoid reading chat for other than pings when I play). But I know for a fact that quite a few words are blocked - "sex", "violent" and, yes, "fuck" are censored words within game chat. Given the times we live in, I think Riot has done a pretty good job at being respectful of all groups.

Z Statistic12/18/2016, 4:02:11 AM2 votes
  1. Hate Speech doesn't exist. There is obscene speech in the form of what we call 'curse words' because they are stored in different parts of the brain and activate different parts of the brain. Anything beyond that is just speech.
  2. If you think that saying 'rape' in League increases the probability a given person gets raped, you are being ridiculous. The actual 'rape culture' exists on the US-Mexican border and in prisons. It is common for female illegals to take birthcontrol to avoid rape babies when crossing the border because traffickers (colloquially called 'coyotes') will capture them and sell them into slavery on the black market. In prison, you get raped. The Boondocks was not using hyperbole in that episode. You WILL be overpowered and get anally raped. End of discussion.

On the off chance that this is a troll... [slayer-pantheon-thumbs] [zombie-brand-clap]

DREADN0UGHT12/17/2016, 6:53:16 PM2 votes

Its the internet here. Not much that can be done, you will always have extremes.

BakedLotion12/18/2016, 6:01:12 PM1 votes

I'm offended by your ign having n00b in it. Can you fucking not? I'm triggered as fuck right now.

Holy shit. You're reported.

nerak2312/18/2016, 4:34:27 AM1 votes

You have an obligation to be nice and the right to be a dick.

You are 100% wrong, By the very rules of this game You Must Not be a Dick :)

Just Don't be a dick, It is an easy concept. Being nice is a good thing. What Every one needs to understand is being nice is very Kool. but when you try to match toxic comments your are for most extents breaking the rules!

Many posters are going to repeatedly tell you this in many ways, and others are going to tell you it's okay to be an Ass. But it is not okay to be an Ass on purpose. I have a lot of understanding about situations yet, I have a "Question"? Why do the most toxic of people have to put others down instead of trying to work things out??

BigHatTurtle 12/17/2016, 11:44:41 PM1 votes

So you want to ban the word "rape"

nerak2312/18/2016, 3:03:49 AM1 votes

You never had cancer nor AIDS. Stop trying to understand people who did and how would their feelings be affected by it.

Care !

Some people do care about words used to belittle people! Cancer, Care friend!

Some people ARE sensitive and should be about such a word !!!! Don't make it seem like it is okay wish cancer on others, even if we have it Friend! Don't Just Don't!!! Even if we have it friend! I personally Hate the word cancer used in a game, why should any one use it ???

EDIT: A GAME, has no place for the word.