One in Five Gamers Faces Sexual Harassment in Online Video Games, According to a Project Led by UMH

Harassment in online video games is not an isolated incident; it is part of the daily lives of many individuals. According to the findings of the GamerVictim research project, led by the Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH), one in five players has experienced sexual victimisation in online gaming environments. The study also reveals that women, LGTBIQA+ individuals, and older players are the groups most affected by the various forms of harassment in this field.

GamerVictim indicates that sexual victimisation affects approximately 20% of a sample of over 1,800 Spanish gamers. Regarding hate crimes and incidents—such as racially, sexually, gender, or politically motivated insults—the prevalence ranges between 20% and 30%, depending on the type of aggression.

"Toxicity and harmful behaviours in online video games are common situations affecting a significant portion of players," notes Mario Santisteban, a professor of Criminal Law at UMH. Data from a survey conducted as part of the project reveals that being a woman, belonging to the LGTBIQA+ community, or being older significantly increases the likelihood of becoming a victim. Factors such as the number of weekly gaming hours or the amount of personal information exposed also play a role.

The team, affiliated with the Crímina Centre for the Study and Prevention of Crime at UMH, has analysed four major types of issues associated with online gaming: social violence (such as insults or hate crimes), sexual harassment, economic abuse, and pathological gaming behaviours.

According to experts, these experiences have real consequences: anxiety, low self-esteem, deteriorating mental health, and quitting the game. They have also found that many victims reproduce toxic behaviours. In other words, those insulted for personal or ideological reasons also tend to insult for the same reasons, reinforcing a cycle of circular violence within these environments.

These results add to previous research by the same team, such as the study published in the European Journal on Criminal Policy and Research in 2023. In it, UMH researchers analysed 328 matches of the video game League of Legends and found that 70% of players were affected by some form of toxic behaviour, with constant complaints and insults being the most frequent. Although the most severe hate messages were less common, the study warned about the normalisation of these disruptive behaviours and their implications for content moderation.

According to Santisteban, "the most competitive video games, which pit two teams against each other with opposing objectives, concentrate high levels of toxicity." This is the case with multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, such as League of Legends. "These environments bring many users together in small digital spaces, with ineffective control systems, facilitating disruptive or violent behaviours," he adds. However, Santisteban notes that we still know very little about what happens in most online games, which is why studies like those conducted by the GamerVictim project are so relevant.

In response to this situation, UMH experts argue that game developers must take a more active role in protecting users. "They are in the best position to adapt their game designs and implement preventive measures," Santisteban emphasises. Proposed measures include automatic detection systems, effective reporting channels, and rewards for prosocial behaviour. Additionally, the European Union's Digital Services Act is highlighted as a key tool for promoting transparency and protection in these spaces.

GamerVictim is the acronym for the Prometeo 2023 – Ciprom /2022/33 project, titled Phenomenological and Victimological Analysis, and Legal Response to Problematic Behaviours in New Digital Communities Around Video Games. The project is led by UMH Professor of Criminal Law Fernando Miró Llinares and involves researchers from the Open University of Catalonia, the University of Valencia, the University of Girona, and the University of Zaragoza. It has been funded by the Valencian Government's Department of Innovation, Universities, Science, and Digital Society.