Sexual Harrassment on Microsoft Xbox Live - Apparently It's Worth Being Suspended For

Sexual Harrassment on Microsoft  Xbox Live - Apparently It's Worth Being Suspended For
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Sexual Harrassment on Xbox Live - Introduction

There has always been a stereotypical gamer in the minds of all non-gamers – the nerdy teenage virgin who’s only social contact is through gaming online. The updated version of this stereotype is pretty much the same except the ’typical gamer’ nowadays is supposedly a very young teenage boy who also enjoys sexually harassing any females they can find online. The modern gaming community is constantly trying to combat this stereotype, but unfortunately there are still a few who just keep giving the community a bad name. These guys are generally young adults who delight in sending abusive messages to female gamers (and occasionally male gamers).

Playstation Vs Xbox Security

On the Playstation Network the lack of any strict enforcement has led many girl gamers to disguise themselves as males in order to avoid such harassment. The Microsoft Xbox Live system on the other hand, is very tightly monitored, with a straight-forward complaints system in place. For some reason this doesn’t seem to scare many people, even though Microsoft are well known for suspending anti-social gamers, and banning repeat offenders. Many are actually proud of having the ‘Code of Conduct’ slogan in their bio for the rest of their Xbox-playing days.

Sexual Harassment

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I have been target numerous times and on separate occasions simply for being female. Apparently this gives certain people the right to send me abusive messages, pictures of themselves and to repeatedly invite me to join private chats and parties so they can either insult me with a string of profanities or hit on me. (I also have a male friend who regularly receives abusive messages after he is victorious in a Modern Warfare 2 match, so there is many types of anti-social behaviour circulation on Xbox Live).

These guys (I have yet to have to suffer any of this at the hands of a girl) know that they are going to be reported and possibly punished. In fact they usually ensure a punishment for themselves by repeatedly searching out female gamers to abuse. How is this worth being suspended for? And possibly for a week or more if the images or messages are suggestive enough. Having a certain amount of anonymity seems to make some people extremely unpleasant and feel the need to take their feelings out on others, the idea of having their account suspended or banned doesn’t bother some of them because they can easily make a new account and buy a new Xbox Live Subscription. Unfortunately there is not much the average gamer can do other than file a complaint.

How To File A Complaint With Xbox Live

A surprising number of players do not know how to file a complaint with Xbox Live. In order to file a complaint on a player you need to open their profile. You can do this by selecting their gamertag during a game while you play with them or from your recently played with list. The option ‘file complaint’ should be obvious. Select this and select the reason for your complaint. You can also avoid the player by submitting a negative player review – this will decrease your chances of being put in the same lobby as them online in the future.

The Xbox Live Complaints Team can not deal with these offenders unless there is a complaint filed against them, so if you are ever subject to harassment or bullying online make sure to file a complaint as well as avoiding the player in question.

Is Filing an Xbox Live Complaint Anonymous?

Finally many people ask the question: is filing an Xbox Live Complaint Anonymous? Xbox Live complaints are not anonymous although no action is taken against those who are constantly filing complaints. If a player is repeatedly filing complaints then their complaints are either dismissed or not taken as seriously as a complaint from a player that has never previously filed a complaint. Basically this means that by abusing the Microsoft Xbox Live complaints system you are lessening your chances of being heard should you fall victim to a cyber bully in the future.