A new lawsuit filed against an employee at Activision Blizzard as well as the company itself brings to light new instances of alleged sexual harassment that took place from a management-level member of staff at the developer.
In a report by Kotaku, details from the lawsuit were provided which named the alleged aggressor, Miguel Vega, who was a manager of the anonymous employee.
Accusations alleged in the Los Angeles lawsuit include groping, verbal abuse, and threats to the female employee’s job at Blizzard.
“Activision Blizzard’s failure to curb sexist and harassing conduct emboldened manager Miguel Vega to abuse, belittle and insult Ms. Doe by making comments to her about oral sex, masturbation and orgasms, threatening her job if she would not consent to sex, mocking her breasts, and commenting on other female employees’ attractiveness,” the lawsuit reads.
“Mr. Vega also repeatedly threatened to expose a compromising photo of Ms. Doe.”
The lawsuit, also details how Vega came into possession of the compromising photo after forming a friendship with the unnamed employee prior to her time at Activision Blizzard. The pair ended their friendship in 2011 before Vega helped her to get work at Activision Blizzard in 2016.
Vega allegedly groped the employee around a dozen times during her five years at the company. He is also accused of having attempted to kiss her on many occasions and, after being rejected, threatened her that “one day you’ll give in,” according to the report.
More incidents of sexual harassment are also listed in the suit which includes Vega bringing the employee to an isolated part of the office and requesting she give him oral sex.
He also allegedly responded to her complaints about pay with the response “you know what you need to do” while pointing at his crotch.
The suit also shares Vega threatened to ruin her career if his action were brought to HR which the former employee did, however, as the filing states Activision Blizzard didn’t take action. In Aug. 2021, after reporting directly to Vega’s manager, the employee received a message from Vega on her voicemail attempting to mitigate the harm caused to her, a month later her position was terminated.
This new lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles, is seeking damages, legal fees, lost earnings and medical costs, and a full jury trial of both the accused, Activision Blizzard and Vega.
Update Oct 13, 7:01pm CT: In a statement from Activision Blizzard shared with Dot Esports the developer says that it has no tolerance for this kind of misconduct.
“We take all employee concerns seriously,” the statement reads. “When the plaintiff reported her concerns, we immediately opened an investigation, and Mr. Vega was terminated within 10 days. We have no tolerance for this kind of misconduct.”
