Rape+Fantasies+in+Video+Game+Culture

= Video Gaming as a Culture = toc Culture is defined in many ways. One way to define culture is that it is the learned behaviors and symbols of a group, the primary means by which humans adapt to their environments, and the way of life for a particular society (Nanda & Warms, 2011). Another way to define culture would be that is it the traditions of thought and behavior (i.e. language) that can be socially acquired, shared and passed onto following generations (Hays, 2008). Cyberspace has been recognized as a true community consisting of individual users and groups of users who hold similar beliefs, just as with any society (Major, 2000). As a form of cyber culture, online video games allow individuals to interact with others (Seidman, Fischer, & Meeks, 2011) to create a new social space. Throughout research, there is a consensus that a video game culture exists outside of mainstream culture, and that it encompasses all ages, sexes/genders and locations worldwide (Shaw, 2010). For example, video game culture’s acceptance of the collectivist style of many role-playing games (RPGs) that requires the hero/heroine to have a party of others to help in battle, despite living within the hyper-American culture (Consalvo, 2006). This shows how this unique environment has developed its own set of norms that vary from those outside of it (Miller, 2008), called cybernorms (Major, 2000).

=Rape in Video Games= Sexual content within video games is not new. Studies have indicated that sexual content is present at all stages of the video game use, including advertisements, game covers, game content and rewards with the game (Stermer & Burkley, 2012). Women, in particular, are consistently portrayed as beautiful, large-breasted and scantily dressed (Dill, Brown, & Collins, 2008). Sexualized violence has also been included in video games such as Grand Theft Auto (GTA): Vice City, released in October, 2002. In this game a male character can hire a prostitute, seemingly have intercourse with her and kill her afterward. If he does, the male character gets his money back, thus rewarding him for the violence (Dill et al., 2008; Stermer & Burkley, 2012). CNN’s Lah (2010) reported that Japanese video games that contain sexual violence, sexual torture and rape of females are called “hentai games,” thus creating their own genre. Rape in video games released in America can actually be dated back further than GTA: Vice City. For instance, Phantasmagoria was released in 1995 and included rape (Whitty, Young, & Goodings, 2011), as well as it sequel released in 1996 (from personal knowledge). Some games have made rape the key feature and/or the goal of the game, such as Battle Raper and Rapelay (Battle Raper, 2013; RapeLay, 2013Whitty et al., 2011). Ali (2009) reported that, not only can you rape the women in Rapelay, but you (the male rapist) can also gang rape the women with others men, impregnate them and force them to have abortions. From viewing videos of the game online as well as from personal experience, the game has shown to be fairly customizable, including vaginal and anal rape, forced oral sex, “cumming” inside and outside the female, “titty fucking” and the ability of the female to orgasm. Since its release in 2006, Rapelay has been banned in Australia, Argentina, Thailand and Malaysia (RapeLay, 2013), as well as from sites such as Amazon and eBay (Ali, 2009).

=Video Game Culture on Virtual Rape= Rape for gamers is still taboo in video games (Nazifpour, 2012). In fact, many gamers feel that it is a bigger taboo that murder or killing in video games (Giant Bomb, 2013). Some gamers feel that rape is trivialized in game content. This however does not mean that gamers are looking for the content to be removed from the games (Nazifpour, 2012). Rape is accepted that it is permissible, even if not indulged in by all gamers (Young & Whitty, 2010). So why are gamers looking to have rape content within the games uncensored?

The first belief in video game culture is that it is just a game, a fantasy, virtual and not representational of real life (Bonham, 2013; Conservative Videos, 2013; Whitty et al., 2011; Young & Whitty, 2010; Young & Whitty, 2013). Gamers contest that what they choose to do in video games, is not representative of things they would do in real life, and that those who object to rape in video games view gamers themselves as unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality (Bozell III, 2010). Furthermore, Brenick, et al. (as cited in Stermer & Burkley, 2012) reported that most gamers do not believe that the content of video games has a negative impact on their real-world behavior.

The video game culture also believes that including content such as rape in video games allows individuals to explore topics in a safe space that is separate from the real world (Giant Bomb, 2013; Nazifpour, 2012; Whitty et al., 2011). For instance, the game Sociolotron, is purported to allow gamers to explore their dark desires of rape as well as behaviors such as discrimination and blasphemy (Young & Whitty, 2010). Gamers believe that inclusion of topics such as rape can not only allow for its safe exploration, but also that it brings the real life issue of rape to light and they actually want the content included in the games for this reason (Giant Bomb, 2013). This does not mean that gamers want to see themselves or glorify it, but they do believe that, when portrayed appropriately, it can serve a purpose (Nazifpour, 2012) and they do not think less of other gamers who choose to participate in this taboo (Whitty et al., 2011).

Finally, games are considered an art form and, like other mediums such as books and movies, they should not be censored under different standards. Nazifpour (2012) wrote that, “Unlike what most people think, the line between art and pornography is very blurry, if that such a thing exists. If I have to list the top 10 greatest writers of all times one of them would be Marquis de Sade, and his writings would be considered glorifying and trivializing rape….There’s no reason for video games to be censored more harshly than others” (http://www.gamingsymmetry.com/rape-in-video-games-where-is-the-line/#sthash.T3jkDvii.dpuf). Gamers also feel that in terms of censorship, protesting rape in video games is a double standard when compared to the allowance of other forms of violence, such as genocide and murder (Bozell III, 2010; Nazifpour, 2012).

Overall, the video game culture holds that rape should be allowed in video games, that it should be done in a way that does not glorify it and that the content should not be censored any differently than other taboos or mediums. The reasons why they feel it should be an option is because games are not reality, gamers are able to distinguish between reality and fantasy, the content of games do not have a negative impact on the gamer’s real-world behavior, games create a safe space to explore taboos or behaviors they otherwise would not in real life, it can shed light on a real life issue, and that games should be censored equally when compared to other mediums and other allowable content.

=References= Ali, P. (2009, February 24). Video game allows players to rape and force abortions. Retrieved December 1, 2013, from http://www.thefrisky.com/2009-02-24/video-game-allows-players-to-rape-and-force-abortions/

Battle Raper. (2013, November 9). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Raper

Bonham, C. (2013, September 22). Sunday opinion: Sex, fantasy and virtual morality. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.campusreform.org/?ID=5093

Bozell III, L. B. (2010, April). Rape games? Japanese video-game manufacturers have made sick video games centered on raping girls and women. Rape is not an option on the menu; rape is the entire point of the game. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.mrc.org/bozells-column/rape-games

Consalvo, M. (2006). Console video games and global corporations: Creating a hybrid culture. New Media Society, 8(1), 117-137. doi:10.1177/1461444806059921

Conservative Videos (2013, September 22). 'We should be able to rape girls in video games': the morality of Grand Theft Auto V. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://conservativevideos.com/2013/09/able-rape-girls-video-games-morality-grand-theft-auto-v/#3SujtWomEI89Hjud.99

Dill, K. E., Brown, B. P., & Collins, M. A. (2008). Effects of exposure to sec-stereotypes video game characters on tolerance of sexual harassment. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 44(5), 1402-1408. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2008.06.002

Giant Bomb (2013). About rape in video games. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.giantbomb.com/rape/3015-2992/forums/about-rape-in-video-games-574876/?page=2

Hays, P. A. (2008). Addressing cultural complexities in practice: Assessment, diagnosis and therapy (2 ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Lah, K. (2010, March 31). Rapelay video game goes viral amid outrage. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/03/30/japan.video.game.rape/index.html

Love, B. (1992). Encyclopedia of unusual sex practices. Fort Lee, NJ: Barricade Books, Inc.

Major, A. M. (2000). Norm origin and development in cyberspace: Models of cybernorm evolution. Washington University Law Quarterly, 78(59), 59-111. Retrieved from http://0-heinonline.org.libcat.widener.edu/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/walq78&collection=journals70&id=70

Miller, C. L. (2008). The video game industry and video game culture dichotomy: Reconciling gaming culture norms with the anti-circumvention measures of the DMCA. Texas Intellectual Property Law Journal, 16(3), 435-480. Retrieved from http://0-search.ebscohost.com.libcat.widener.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=34165835&site=ehost-live

Nanda, S., & Warms, R. L. (2011). Cultural anthropology (10 ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Nazifpour, A. (2012, July 3). Rape in video games: Where is the line? Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.gamingsymmetry.com/rape-in-video-games-where-is-the-line/

RapeLay. (2013, December 1). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapelay

Seidman, S., Fischer, N., & Meeks, C. (2011). Introducing the new sexuality studies (2 ed.). New York, NY: Routledge.

Shaw, A. (2010). What is video game culture? Cultural studies and game studies. Games and Culture, 5(4), 403-424. doi:10.1177/1555412009360414

Stermer, S. P., & Burkley, M. (2012). Xbox or seXbox? An examination of sexualized content. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 6(7), 525-535. doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2012.00442.x

Whitty, M. T., Young, G., & Goodings, L. (2011). What I won't do in pixels: Examining the limits of taboo violation in MMORPGs. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(1), 268-275. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.08.004

Yarber, W. L., Sayad, B. W., & Strong, B. (2010). Human sexuality: Diversity in comtemporary America (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Young, G., & Whitty, M. (2010). Games without frontiers: on the moral and psychological implications of violating taboos within multi-player virtual spaces. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(6), 1228-1236. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2010.03.023

Young, G., & Whitty, M. (2013). Coping with offline prohibited actions in gamespace: A psychological approach to moral well-being in gamers. International Journal of Ethics, 8(3), 237-262. Retrieved from http://0-search.ebscohost.com.libcat.widener.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=87765236&site=ehost-live