Professional gamer and five-time Counter-Strike world champion Stephanie Harvey says she endured sexual harassment and sexism “from day one” while working at Ubisoft’s Montreal offices.
Needless to say, she wasn’t surprised by the recent sexual-harassment scandal at leading video game publisher Ubisoft, one of the biggest names in the gaming world. The 34-year-old Quebec native told AFP that she believes the issue at Ubisoft is bound to affect other companies.
A champion in the esports world, Harvey, known by screen name missharvey, says the issue of sexism extends beyond companies to online gaming communities, streaming companies and YouTube. Currently working on product development with an esports company, Harvey recalls being sexually accosted by colleagues.
At Ubisoft, some of the company’s 18,000 employees say they have suffered a “climate of terror.” The company recently fired its vice president, human resources director, and the head of its Canadian studios. CEO Yves Guillemot has ensured that “major changes in corporate culture” are going to be implemented.
Harvey hopes to effect change in the gaming industry by speaking out. After joining the company in 2009 and spending eight years at Ubisoft Montreal, she finally decided to leave in 2017. She recalls that once while taking an elevator, a colleague stopped between floors and told her, “This is the best place to sleep with someone at Ubisoft."
Having been a top professional player since 2005, she wasn’t surprised by the sexist culture at Ubisoft. “For me, it wasn’t just a problem with Ubisoft, it was a problem of a men’s world with few women,” she said. The problem didn’t end when she left the company. Four years ago, another gamer grabbed her buttocks during a professional event.
Although she initially attempted to look the other way, she is no longer willing to be silent. In 2013, she co-founded Missclicks, an online community that supports women in the gaming sector. She says companies need to make a concerted effort to combat sexism by holding bias training sessions or recruiting more women. While working at Ubisoft, she never trusted the human resources department enough to complain, but she now hopes the company “provides the resources and system to allow women to feel more respected."
Source: Gadgets
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