Discussion of Rape being banned from plotlines

[BleakOne]

Double post, but just wanted to say that although I'd usually complain about parts of RP being banned, I have no problem at all with that particular RP type being banned totally.

[RogueGunslinger]

It isn't even a topic I really want to talk about. Never really understood the mindset behind someone who would want to roleplay.....


Oops there I go talking about it.

[ShaLeah]

Double post, but just wanted to say that although I'd usually complain about parts of RP being banned, I have no problem at all with that particular RP type being banned totally.

Ditto. I'm actually surprised anyone would roleplay that out. The most horrific of sides to the many nuances of rape that is.

[Desertman]

Can we still play rapists who don't actually roleplay raping PC's?

I have never roleplayed a rape on either end, but I have played a few PC's who used "being a rapist" as a way to gain instant villain status, even though the rapes were virtual and no pc's were ever actually involved.

[Refugee]

I'm glad rape is gone.  Good decision.

[Adhira]

For the sake of making it easy on staff and players alike I will say no.

You can put that your pc was a rapist in the background. You can't play out being a rapist in game, even if it's purely in mindset and not action.

[Kronibas]

I'm glad rape is gone.  Good decision.

[TheWanderer]

(I've never had the desire to play out an act of rape, nor am I saddened by the loss of those possible plots - please don't assume that by me asking these questions, I've suddenly taken a blow to some would-be rapist character) So just to sate my curiosity:
- I've taken note of what Adhira just said, and am curious as to whether or not characters can think about the act of rape on a passing whim after 'dislikable man/woman irks them greatly,' but not actually partake in it.
- If there are any characters currently out there that have been involved in rape plots, such as those who might know a victim, the victim himself/herself, or the rapist, is the plot entirely scrapped and forgotten about by all? Retconned?
- I'm 99% sure of the answer, but can you still discuss rape with others IC, or has it become a forbidden topic among PCs?
- Let's say two sexual deviants decide like to role-play during intercourse, and they've decided to go at it by pretending one of the two is raping the other. Do you allow this?

P.S. Again, I don't actually commit to any of this - never have, never will - but with a major policy change to a game that's been around for twenty years, my curiosity does tend to get the better of me. 

[bcw81]

For the sake of making it easy on staff and players alike I will say no.

You can put that your pc was a rapist in the background. You can't play out being a rapist in game, even if it's purely in mindset and not action.

In certain lines of work - Soldiering specifically - History has said rape is a common occurrence.

Now, with that in mind, is it a storable offence to have a soldier character in one of the cities say he/she wants to go (insert opposite geographical direction here) and murder, rape, and pillage said enemy soldiers/citizens on a broad level?

[Ourla]

I'm surprised this is even an issue. I had no idea.  Never in my 7+ years of playing have I ever encountered RP even coming close to rape.

[BadSkeelz]

I've seen it alluded to (never first hand, blech) a few times in my almost-two years here. Most of the time it was something of a mess.

[slvrmoontiger]

I've seen it alluded to (never first hand, blech) a few times in my almost-two years here. Most of the time it was something of a mess.

Blechy mess that's for sure.

[bcw81]

For that matter, would alluding that a stupid idea would get someone raped be against the rules now?

Example:
The scantily dressed fme merchant says, in Sirihish, doing fme poses and flopping her generous assets about:
       "I'm going to go see my friend in the 'Rinth and we're going to get drunk!"

Everyone at the Gaj and Gladiator tavern says, in crowd-accented Sirihish:
       "Gur, you goin' ta' get raped doin' stupid shit like that."

[Delirium]

While I think it should always be a potential threat to be considered by PCs (even if only virtually, just as we assume that death by chest decay or childbirth is possible), I understand the reasons for not wanting to deal with it in the non-virtual world, and support the decision to ban that avenue of roleplay. 

That said, how hard-line are we being? Would allusions to the potential of it happening (as opposed to actual threats) be treated as a rule-breaking action?

Unfortunately, this seems a bit muddy/awkward to enforce in the kind of gameworld we have, where such actions are commonplace and a very real threat (and with an entire sub-race, half-elves, often born of the act). There is going to be a grey area no matter what, and honestly I liked where we had it before; it existed, but you weren't forced to participate in such a storyline if it wasn't something you were able to stomach playing out (nor would I, personally, ever want to).

[bcw81]

While I think it should always be a potential threat to be considered by PCs (even if only virtually, just as we assume that death by chest decay or childbirth is possible), I understand the reasons for not wanting to deal with it in the non-virtual world, and support the decision to ban that avenue of roleplay. 

That said, how hard-line are we being? Would allusions to the potential of it happening (as opposed to actual threats) be treated as a rule-breaking action?

Unfortunately, this seems a bit muddy/awkward to enforce in the kind of gameworld we have, where such actions are commonplace and a very real threat (and with an entire sub-race, half-elves, often born of the act). There is going to be a grey area no matter what, and honestly I liked where we had it before; it existed, but you weren't forced to participate in such a storyline if it wasn't something you were able to stomach playing out (nor would I, personally, ever want to).

Thank you for wording that better than I ever could have. A hard line against this is a bit... Aggravating in the world we play in. If anything, I think instead of a hard line, this should just require the same type of consent dismemberment requires - In that if someone says no, it's not happening. Not virtually, not faded, just not happening. And that should extend to any form of accusations of rape or the like (maybe sent through staff in occurrences where you might not want to let the person know you're accusing them.)

A hard line really does muddy the waters.

[Zoan]

I believe that what was stated was rape-related plotlines are banned. Saying you're going to get raped if x (like walking into the rinth with a soldier's cloak on) isn't going to get you stored.

[Delirium]

I'd hope not. One of my more memorable moments from a past character (a certain overly-emotional half-elf) included a reference to rape (as well as very strong language and a bloody beat-down). Heck, I was asked to submit the log ("A Brawl at the Post"). I would hate for scenes like that to disappear from Armageddon.

That being said, I do want to reiterate that otherwise, I fully support the decision. No one should have to roleplay that.

[Inks]

While I have never and will never pursue this type of plotline, and I don't really mind it has been banned. I would prefer an enforced ftb if consent is given.
Bcw is spot on here.  You can't even talk about ot now?

[Eurynomos]

No, you cannot use it as a plot point for your PC or other PC's.

Mentioning that 'rape happens in Zalanthas' is of course true, or that 'you shouldn't go into the Labyrinth because you might be raped and murdered', but saying 'Amos over there, I heard he raped someone' is not allowed any longer, nor is 'Hey imma rape you, ooc consent to rape?'. You can include rape as a part of your PC's background, because let's face it, half-elves.

Rape is now a virtual part of the world.

[Zoan]

I too have never had any encounter with rape but I'm appalled it's even a thing that existed to the point we needed to make a PSA about it here.

[Scarecrow]

I think it's for the best.

[BleakOne]

I'd like to point out that I didn't actually make this a topic of its own, mine was just the first post of the derail on the other thread (whoops).

Also, I'm with Scarecrow.

[Adhira]

For the last several years we had a consent rule around this issue.  What we found is that this didn't help. It didn't stop situations arising in game that ended up dragging in a lot of people who were unhappy to be part of said storyline. It didn't help make a safe situation for players at all times, with regard to this topic. It DID result in staff having to handle, on a fairly regular basis, complaints and other issues based on these kinds of storylines.

Modern sensibilities and a sensitive topic make for a hard to contain storyline.  Rape in our real world is a heinous crime. It's vile and traumatic. It can be traumatic for many people to consider being faced with anything regarding this issue in our game.  Rape and sexual assault in the Zalanthan landscape, where assassins can be licensed and murder is a day to day occurence, is likely something quite different.  Yet it can be hard for our playerbase to put aside their own reaction to this topic and treat a storyline involving this situation similarly to a storyline where Amos got his apartment robbed.  We do not feel that this is something that we should be asking people to do.

The whole area is hard for staff to manage.  We do not wish to manage this.  This new policy has arisen from our experience in dealing with this in a consent based system over the last few years.

We do appreciate that there may be some grey areas, and some mis-steps that happen.  On the whole we don't predict that this will be something widespread, or that we will have to step in to deal with in any manner.  What we are asking is that you do not pursue rape plotlines in game.

- You cannot ask someone for consent to rape their pc.
- You cannot accuse an PC, NPC or VNPC of raping your character.
- You cannot sit in a tavern and tell the story of your PC being raped.
- You cannot play out a rape storyline even if the other person you are playing with is consenting.
- You cannot persecute another PC, NPC or VNPC for rape, because rape should not be part of an active storyline.
- If you include rape in your pc's background it should remain as that, background.  You can use it to shape your pc's world view, you cannot use it as a motivation to kill all tall, muscular men because they have reminded you of a terrible situation.

We understand that some of these things have been acceptable in the past. We ask that you work with us in removing these storylines from our game.  

[Jingo]

I'd be fine if the consent rule was strictly adhered to. But too many idiots pushing too many boundaries warrants a change. This is really, honestly for the best.

Also should be on the list:

Mindbenders trying to mindbend people into sex. (Hi Rathustra)

Sex with dead bodies. Beyond the squick factor, I imagine it could become another way of twisting the boundaries also.

[Jingo]

dubble post

2pro