Call to ban ‘Rape Day’ video game from South Africa

NICOLA MILTZ

Women’s rights organisations in South Africa, including Jewish organisations, have condemned it, and demanded that it be banned outright.

In spite of being banned in other countries, including Germany and Austria, the game can now be downloaded for free in South Africa. Politicians in the United Kingdom are calling for more restrictive legislation to prevent it. The South African Film and Publication Board has received numerous complaints from members of the public and is believed to be looking into it.

Created by independent developer, known as Jake Roberts – Rape Day is set in a zombie apocalypse. The player controls a protagonist who is described as a “menacing serial-killer rapist”.

The developer refers to it as a “visual novel”, in which the rape and murder of women is encouraged to progress the plot.

A preview of the game on the Steam games platform last month featured screenshots of women held at gunpoint and raped, causing an immediate backlash. Steam stopped the release of the game following an outcry and petitions.

The Cape Town-based 1000 Women Trust, a non-profit organisation aimed at combatting violence against women and girls, has launched a petition urging people to condemn the release of the video game. It is calling for censorship and tighter regulation. It has so far received over 3 000 signatures.

1000 Women Trust Ambassador Claudia Roodt told the SA Jewish Report that the video game was “outrageous” and should not be tolerated. “Rape is a crime, it is not a game. This game should not be available in South Africa,” she said.

The video game opens with a warning which says, “This visual novel contains mature content including acts of physical and sexual violence. All characters are 20 years old or older in both visual depiction and story.”

It is a violent video game where rape is the aim and goal, said the developer recently on a YouTube radio show. “It’s a 45-minute game where you go around and rape people, it’s supposed to be a dark comedy,” he said, claiming that he had not expected such outrage, and would still find ways of getting the game “out there”.

The game went online on 6 March, and within hours sparked a petition on Change.org, which garnered thousands of signatures. It is likely to have contributed to the decision to pull Rape Day from the gaming distribution service Steam Direct.

Last year, Change.org successfully pushed Steam to have a school-shooting game removed from the platform. The 1000 Women Trust has teamed up with Avon to call on members of the public to sign the petition, which will be presented to the South African government, according to Roodt. The petition will be handed to the Minister of Women in the Presidency, the Minister of Communications and Telecommunications, and the relevant body at the United Nations.

According to Roodt, the petition aims to change local legislation to ban the release and availability of any video game that promotes violence against women.

Rozanne Sack and Wendy Hendler from Koleinu SA, an educational and advocacy organisation supporting victims of abuse, have criticised the video game, calling for its creator to be criminally brought to book.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the Rape Day video game which portrays rape, which is a criminal act, as a recreational activity to be exploited in a game. We are already living in a society where gender-based violence and rape statistics are staggering.

“It is unconscionable that the creators of the game would see fit to minimise the horrific act of rape and its devastating impact on victims, who carry scars for the rest of their lives. The inhumanity of individuals who would use rape as an entertainment tool boggles the mind. The sole outcome of normalising such a brutal crime is an increase in its incidence. This game needs to be banned, and the creators charged criminally with inciting violence in society.”

Johannesburg psychologist Ruth Ancer told the SA Jewish Report that videos like these are extremely dangerous because they carry damaging messages especially for children and young minds, reinforcing toxic ideas about the world we live in.

“It is a very sad indictment of our society that something like this gets traction. It is horrific in the extreme, and the scary thing is that it normalises violence and rape and gives the impression that this is ok and fun. It is a sick reflection of society that glorifies violence against men and women, and objectifies women as sexual objects to be conquered.”

There is a plethora of psychological studies and in-depth research about the effects of violent video games on children and adults, and whether they alter behaviour or encourage violent aggression. The studies are not conclusive, but the bulk of the work demonstrates a clear linkage between video games and aggressive behaviour.

Can behaviour be influenced by playing a violent video game? On balance, psychological scientists think so.

Said Ancer, “It depends on the individual. A healthy person most likely won’t be influenced, but for someone who is vulnerable and already holds these ideas, it can affect the way they behave. Someone with a predisposition to violence can be affected.”

Some overseas studies have shown evidence that violent video games can lead to an increase in aggressive and angry thoughts, physiological arousal, including increased heart rate, and even more worryingly, have shown a decrease in feelings of empathy towards others.

There is research suggesting that playing violent video games may have some positive effects for young adults, such as better stress management and problem solving. When the violence turns to rape, this surely crosses the line.