On Saturday (9/8), a NOBAR NOP #5 (Hangout Together Never Okay Project) was held, a series of online discussions themed around sexual harassment in various industrial sectors. This fifth episode discusses sexual harassment in Live Streaming Games. The speakers present at this NOBAR are Dinda Dwi C, gaming creator; Icha Mochalatte, Gaming Shoutcaster; and Claudy Jacob from Never Okay Project. Vanessa is also present as the moderator.

Also read: Female Online Game Players Experience Sexual Harassment Almost Every Day

Live Streaming Games are now starting to be filled with women, as seen with Dinda and Icha. For them, diving into the world of E-sports is not just following an online trend, but a passion. However, this good intention is not as smooth as reality. Sexist and vulgar comments often appear in the chat column during Live Streaming Games. It's sad when Dinda says that social media is a public space, where no one can limit and filter someone's typing, so gaming creators can hardly act.

Mochalatte stated that non-verbal harassment she receives does not stop in the comments column, it continues into personal chats, and ends with sending inappropriate photos. “I do not use my body as a trigger for content, but some even send photos of their private parts,” Mocha stressed. This public space platform is used as a shield by perpetrators using their fake accounts to fulfill their bad intentions.

Social Construction In The Online Gaming World

In the Bill on Sexual Violence Prevention Chapter I Article 1, it is clearly stated that sexual violence is an act of degrading, insulting a person's body, sexual desire forcibly that causes a person to be unable to give consent freely, due to an imbalance of power relations and/or gender relations, which results in or can result in physical, psychological, sexual suffering, economic, social, cultural, and/or political loss.

Culture and social constructs have deeply rooted in various industrial sectors, Claudy from Never Okay Project explained. One of the most common examples of social construction is that it is okay for boys to play in internet cafes since childhood while girls play house. This concept creates many job and activity restrictions that can only be performed by a certain gender. Moreover, the dominance of one gender in a group often diminishes the other gender that joins it.

As for female Live streaming gamers, many people do not regard the content or skill of the gameplay. Many focus on the subject, namely the player or the appearance of the player. Examples of sentences that Dinda often reads in her chat column are "Stop playing games, just take care of the kitchen," "Doesn’t your husband support you?" It seems that E-Sport is only intended for men. 

Mocking Gamers of the Same Gender (SGSG)

After discussing the sexual harassment done by the opposite sex, Dinda mentioned that she has received many mockeries from fellow women. Engaging in Live Streaming Games for a year made Dinda realize that many women belittle female streamers. Whether because they are not satisfied with themselves or because they want to become streamers themselves. 

Instead of supporting women to enter the world of E-Sport, they actually bring down their own gender with comments like “don’t act pretty, don’t be flirty with guys.” Mochalatte responded that such comments are invitations for them to feel what they themselves feel. In fact, it’s better to learn or create something first than to be envious of what female gamers can achieve.

Follow-Up on Cases of Sexual Harassment in E-Sport

The routine of Live Streaming Games has taught these two women to face non-verbal sexual harassment in their industry, such as deleting comments, addressing them personally, blocking accounts that frequently leave negative comments, and understanding the backgrounds of the viewers.

Behind the methods used by these streamers, Dinda and Mocha hope for an official institution to protect female gamers. Additionally, they hope that providers will have an “auto banned” feature against sexual harassment perpetrators who want to leave malicious comments. 

Therefore, the Never Okay Project (NOP) is currently and will continue to fight against sexual harassment in the industrial world. Through Nobar NOP, cases of sexual harassment in various industries will be highlighted. From this activity, we understand the importance of education on moral sexual education in all industrial sectors.