IGN Releases Statement Following Staff Walkout
IGN has issued a statement after prominent members of its staff staged a walkout on Monday. This is following allegations late last week that a former editor of the video game website sexually harassed two women at the company.
The statement came from its editorial staff, noting up front that it was written by the website's content team. In it, the company addressed the recent walkout, the allegations of sexual harassment, and the future of the company.
According to the statement, it is with great sadness, pain, and regret that it has failed two of its female employees. The company believes that their employees did not get the respect and care that they deserved, simply put, the system failed them.
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IGN reveals that they have discussed the issue in "an emotional, difficult, but ultimately productive" two-hour meeting, where "any and all voices were heard." They also said that any future allegations will be taken extremely seriously and will not be tolerated. This is to ensure that everyone in the company feels that they are working in a safe environment.
In another statement, this time from the IGN management, the company announced that it is enlisting the assistance of an independent human resources consultant. This is to review how the matter in question was handled as well as evaluate the company's HR practices in general. Based on the consultant's recommendations, the compay will make any necessary changes to its HR practices.
After hearing everyone else's sexual harassment stories, I feel like it's finally time to share my own. #metoo pic.twitter.com/renQv4MVaV
— Kallie Plagge (@inkydojikko) November 11, 2017
The whole incident began back in Friday when IGN employee Kallie Plagge posted on Twitter that while working in promotions at IGN last year, she and another female employee were sexually harassed by former editor Vince Ingenito. Shortly afterward, Ingenito wrote a lengthy response on Twitter, saying that he "overestimated or perhaps misread the degree of our friendship" and "didn't graphically describe anything or force sexual conversations on her or anyone."
Following a social media frenzy that followed over the weekend, IGN's Alanah Pearce wrote on Monday that IGN's regular news show "The Daily Fix" has been cancelled that day due to a large number of employees refusing to work in protest.
