Two women from the games industry have stepped forward and accused notable game music composer, Jeremy Soule, of sexual misconduct. One of the women has also accused Soule of rape.
The women, a vocalist and a indie game developer, allege that Soule, who composed music for games including Skyrim and Guild Wars, indulged in predatory sexual behaviour, with one of the women stating that he had raped her.
Soule was contacted by Kotaku following a huge social media explosion of the news on Twitter. He told the publication the claims are “outrageous,” adding that he did “not agree with her point of view.”
Kotaku also contacted both of the women involved in the accusations, who have said that they were each pressured by Soule into romantic relationships during vulnerable periods in their lives. They both also said that they felt as though Soule took advantage of their situations, and when turning him down, Soule “thwarted their professional opportunities” as a means of revenge.
In a emotional blog post indie game developer Nathalie Lawhead writes: “[Soule] made advances on me and I explained that I didn’t want this and wanted a friendship. He was very threatening, and didn’t listen,
“He made it clear that it’s ‘him or bust.’ He raped me.”
Speaking specifically of Lawhead’s allegations, Soule told Kotaku: “These 11 year old allegations are false. I am shocked and saddened that these outrageous claims have been made.”
The claims have encouraged a number of other alleged victims of sexual misconduct in the gaming industry to come forward, leading to an ever-growing list of game developers who’ve now been accused.
The movement, in which people are encouraging abuse victims to come forward despite their fears or concerns, is being compared to the “#metoo” movement which hit Hollywood last year.
If you’ve been affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article there are a number of outlets who can help, including Victim Support.
Featured Image Credit: Bethesda