There has been a tendency for single voices to dominate in discussions of cultural forms in which violence takes place or is depicted. In doing so, it provides a cultural and feminist approach to the issues, delineating key debates whilst embedding cutting-edge examples of new media as well as notable examples from the history of the medium into the discussion.ĭeviance in gaming requires analysis and interpretations framed in theoretical ways that permit new understandings to emerge. This chapter explores the relationship between representations of sexual violence in video games and normalisation. Without the acknowledgement of new harms, these spaces become unchecked realms, which enable the further denial and neutralisation of damage inflicted on citizens with these virtual spaces (ludodromes). Atkinson and Rodgers (2016) apply this ‘civilising process’ theory to video games, arguing that, while media technologies can be used to create image-spaces where personal experimentation with such libidinal desires can take place, a deeper criminological understanding of virtual harms in these spaces is a necessity.

The full terms of this licence may be seen at Įlias and Dunning speak of the need to re-channel the more aggressive elements of overt sexuality through the media, books, sport, etc., in order to promote ‘civility’ ( Elias & Dunning, 1993) they argue that this allows for the dualist nature of libidinal or taboo desires to co-exist with civil society, without the contravention of either. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this work (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. This work is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. The full terms of this licence may be seen at License Copyright © 2020 Kevin Hoffin and Geraldine Lee-Treweek.

Rapelay footage