Sexual harassment

[Alaray]

I'd say its opposite - most accusation are false to gain something from it or ruin someone's life. You can look at gamergate and how all journos accused them in all possible sins in the world just to not get exposed themselves.

"Look At Gamergate"

ah, yes, the man-baby movement. Let's look to them for moral enlightenment. Genius.

[Doozer]

Source

People aren't doing this thing for kicks.

Thank you for a source on that. I knew that info was out there somewhere.

[Awha]

Oh, I thought you were done trolling. I guess not.

Maybe it depends on your background, I can tell you where I grew people use to make false accusations about their boyfriends. Hell I have seen some cases where dudes would claim their girlfriend cheated on them as a reason to explain the breakup, even if it was not true. Sure some of it was grounded in reality, but often times they would up play the situation to give it more impact. This is simply my anecdotal view of it, hell one of my favorite high school teacher was let go because our class made accusations about him. I have met people that lie about being deaf just to avoid using voice chat instead of just telling the group they do not feel like using chat. People lie about the weirdest things or the strangest of reasons.

[BillyKaplan]

Maybe it depends on your background, I can tell you where I grew people use to make false accusations about their boyfriends. Sure some of it was grounded in reality, but often times they would up play the situation to give it more impact. This is simply my anecdotal view of it, hell one of my favorite high school teacher was let go because our class made accusations about him. I have met people that lie about being deaf just to avoid using voice chat instead of just telling the group they do not feel like using chat. People lie about the weirdest things or the strangest of reasons.

Your examples are skewed because the latter is ultimately harmless and probably born out of that person's insecurities and anxieties, to avoid being peer pressured into joining the chat. Also, you yourself admitted it was an anecdotal example (and is still ultimately a form of abuse, mind, just from the other direction). No one said false accusations don't exist, but they are factually the minority.

[Awha]

Your examples are skewed because the latter is ultimately harmless and probably born out of that person's insecurities and anxieties, to avoid being peer pressured into joining the chat. Also, you yourself admitted it was an anecdotal example. No one said false accusations don't exist, but they are factually the minority.

Point I am trying to make is people lie, please do not misunderstand what I was trying to say. If something can factually be proven sure witch hunt away, but let us be real how many people honestly would be willing to wait for all the facts to come out before starting the witch hunt? As someone else mentioned someone should be viewed as innocent until proven guilty however, in this day and age it seems to be the other way around.

[BillyKaplan]

Point I am trying to make is people lie, please do not misunderstand what I was trying to say. If something can factually be proven sure witch hunt away, but let us be real how many people honestly would be willing to wait for all the facts to come out before starting the witch hunt?

I'll counter that with a problematic aspect of this - in most situations, specifically of systematic abuse the kind of which that PCGamer article was about, you won't find evidence because the abuser is just that good at keeping themselves clean (unless they're stupid enough to admit it in written chat that can be saved...). Part of it is even being nice and proper with other people, so that when their victim comes clean, they'll have a series of character witnesses lined up to tell everyone how good and just they are. What evidence to wait for then when it's a situation created by the offender to begin with?

[silverlunarfox]

Point I am trying to make is people lie

The issue is, there's a lot of evidence in this case. Yes people lie. The deaf/voice chat one may just be to avoid questions on why. example: i hate meat, its gross and i dont know why people eat it. After years of just saying i hate meat then getting 50 questions as to why and im just not eating the right kinds or cooking it right, its far easier to just say im a vegetarian. I'm not. It's a lie. There are some meat products I do eat. But I got sick of the 50 questions and saying i'm a vegetarian tends to end up with "oh....ok" instead of more questions. Same can be said for voice chat esp if its because of anxiety or depression.

However that is not what is going on here. Regardless the commentors backgrounds there should be at least a small about of sympathy or empathy to at least understand the situation. Not to immediately discredit it because of "your background" or "it's never happened to me so it never happens" or "everybody lies" kind of thing.

[Awha]

I'll counter that with a problematic aspect of this - in most situations, specifically of systematic abuse the kind of which that PCGamer article was about, you won't find evidence because the abuser is just that good at keeping themselves clean. Part of it is even being nice and proper with other people, so that when their victim comes clean, they'll have a series of character witnesses lined up to tell everyone how good and just they are. What evidence to wait for then when it's a situation created by the offender to begin with?

I am not expect on the subject nor an investigator, but I am sure these types of cases take as long as they do to look into due to that very reason. Even so should we really pass judgement without having all the facts? That does not seem messed up in the slightest? Sure it may be a small chance, but what happens if people blindly follow the mob and it turns out the accusations were false that persons life is ruined, and the same could be said vice versa I agree. That is what makes these types of situation difficult, and as community we have the ability to enact switch judgement because we can act on our emotional impulses. Their must be a reason why the authorities do not, it is damning on either side no matter how you cut it. Maybe I am odd, but while I am sympathetic to the victims I do not agree with viewing someone as guilty until proven innocent because it is easier.

The issue is, there's a lot of evidence in this case. Yes people lie. The deaf/voice chat one may just be to avoid questions on why. example: i hate meat, its gross and i dont know why people eat it. After years of just saying i hate meat then getting 50 questions as to why and im just not eating the right kinds or cooking it right, its far easier to just say im a vegetarian. I'm not. It's a lie. There are some meat products I do eat. But I got sick of the 50 questions and saying i'm a vegetarian tends to end up with "oh....ok" instead of more questions. Same can be said for voice chat esp if its because of anxiety or depression.

However that is not what is going on here. Regardless the commentors backgrounds there should be at least a small about of sympathy or empathy to at least understand the situation. Not to immediately discredit it because of "your background" or "it's never happened to me so it never happens" or "everybody lies" kind of thing.

Please do not get me wrong I never discredited the person I am sympathetic to them, as I said might be odd but I am not going to pick a side based off one sides story. I am talking generally about abuse not just this case.

[Penthea]

Point I am trying to make is people lie, please do not misunderstand what I was trying to say. If something can factually be proven sure witch hunt away, but let us be real how many people honestly would be willing to wait for all the facts to come out before starting the witch hunt? As someone else mentioned someone should be viewed as innocent until proven guilty however, in this day and age it seems to be the other way around.

You need to read the article. There are numerous screenshots proving the ex TMP editor was admitting to his abusive behaviour and that he is talented at targeting women who can be preyed upon. Furthermore when he stepped down as editor he gave TMP social media logins only to those who allied with him, and he is now demanding his position be returned.

Yes people do lie but the amount of accusations is shocking. They can't all be lying, that's ridiculous. What do they have to gain from lying? Get control over TMP? Well there's no guarantee that the old editor wouldn't have just dissolved it instead of handing over control, or replace all the staff who tried to stand against him. If they really wanted TMP they could have just left in a mass exodus and made their own magazine instead. The most likely reason for revealing his abuse is that all the victims were horrified to find out that he has been engaging in this behaviour for years and want to break the cycle for good.

Even being anonymous it's not easy to come out as a victim. Victim blaming is very real and you only need to look at this thread to see how common it is. Bad enough to be a victim and then have people trying to shame you for being stupid. I really hope they're not reading this thread because some truly horrific statements have been made about them.

[BillyKaplan]

Their must be a reason why the authorities do not

The authorities likely don't do anything because of the offender's background (white, male, high class, etc), and the most common gender of the victim, which makes them more interested in asking the victim what they wore at the time of the incident than what actually happened.
Also, do keep in mind that for the most part, true offenses will never be a one time thing. That's why so often when one victim comes forward, a string of others follows. The few times I can think of I heard in the news where the accusations were false truly had a single accuser. In the case that brought this thread about, there are numerous victims throwing blame. It's usually a good indicator of how much truth there is to a claim.