Between all the drama surrounding the Xbox and Activision purchase and the previous sexual harassment lawsuits, Activision Blizzard can’t seem to catch a break. Just when things were settling down, the company has been hit with another lawsuit. This time, the case revolves around the sexual battery, failure to prevent harassment, gender discrimination and the intent to inflict emotional distress.
The Daily Mail had identified the plaintiff known currently as Jane Doe. The lawsuit was filed with the Los Angele Superior Court. Jane Doe claims that Activision Blizzard is a “massive video game company with a massive sexual harassment problem”. She is seeking an undisclosed amount of compensation for damages as well as the removal of CEO Bobby Kotick. Kotick has been wrapped up in past lawsuits for his failure to report and act on the harassment claims.
Jane Doe says that her problems with Kotick go beyond his negligence to report on the previous lawsuits. She says that another former employee Miguel Vega fired her after she reported him to management over harassment. She says Vega never missed an opportunity to make her feel small. The lawsuit claims that Jane Doe met Vega in 2009 before she worked at Activision Blizzard and the two formed a digital friendship. She says she sent him “compromising photos” of herself. Something she claims to regret today.
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Jane Doe and Vega ended their “friendship” in 2011 when she met her future husband. The lawsuit claims that Vega helped Jane Doe get independent work at Activision Blizzard in 2016 before starting at the company in 2020 on a permanent contract. She claims that Vega used her job as an opportunity to harass her. He groped her and attempted to kiss her. He even told her that “one day she’ll give in”. Jane Doe claims Vega belittled her, insulted her and even threatened to blackmail her with the previously sent photos.
She claims that after reporting Vega to HR he was fired the month after filing the report. She says it wasn’t enough and is now seeking money from Activision Blizzard for not acting faster and taking action sooner.
The current lawsuit is adding to the long line of other ongoing cases at Activision Blizzard. Many of these have already been completed while others are still ongoing.
Source: Daily Mail