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This past Friday, former IGN editor (current GameSpot editor) Kallie Plagge revealed that she felt sexually harassed during her time working at IGN. Specifically, she says that was harassed back in 2016 by then editor Vince Ingenito. Not only was she harassed but she says that one other employee was also harassed.
Plagge's lengthy statement said that the harassment included "uncomfortable compliments" along with "manipulative and abusive comments." She says that Ingenito also made "overtly sexual comments" along with physical contact that she felt was inappropriate. Plagge said that Ingenito was "a man who preyed on (her), a young woman 15 years his junior."
According to Plagge, HR did not fully address the harassment claims. She said that to her knowledge, "Vince was 'talked to' and basically told not to speak to (her)." He would, however, continue to walk near her desk, ask her work related questions, and sit next to her at meetings when management wasn't around. She says that she was "made to sign a document stating that (she) behaved inappropriately." Apparently, HR tried to blame Plagge for Ingenito's behavior saying that she used her body "to provoke him." She also says that her boss told her to "not be 'uptight' about being around Vince."
Ingenito responded to the claims and said that he "(does) not believe (Plagge) is a liar." Ingenito says that he "overestimated or perhaps misread the degree of (their) friendship." While some have come out in support of Plagge's claims a few say that they stand by Ingenito if only because Plagge was "mean" to them at one point (this particular tweet has since been deleted).
IGN staff like Alanah Pearce are taking a stand against the failing of the IGN HR department. The IGN content team released a statement earlier today as they banded together to not work until solutions to this ongoing problem are addressed.
Zachary Ryan of IGN says that the management team will be making a statement "soon."
Plagge's lengthy statement said that the harassment included "uncomfortable compliments" along with "manipulative and abusive comments." She says that Ingenito also made "overtly sexual comments" along with physical contact that she felt was inappropriate. Plagge said that Ingenito was "a man who preyed on (her), a young woman 15 years his junior."
According to Plagge, HR did not fully address the harassment claims. She said that to her knowledge, "Vince was 'talked to' and basically told not to speak to (her)." He would, however, continue to walk near her desk, ask her work related questions, and sit next to her at meetings when management wasn't around. She says that she was "made to sign a document stating that (she) behaved inappropriately." Apparently, HR tried to blame Plagge for Ingenito's behavior saying that she used her body "to provoke him." She also says that her boss told her to "not be 'uptight' about being around Vince."
Ingenito responded to the claims and said that he "(does) not believe (Plagge) is a liar." Ingenito says that he "overestimated or perhaps misread the degree of (their) friendship." While some have come out in support of Plagge's claims a few say that they stand by Ingenito if only because Plagge was "mean" to them at one point (this particular tweet has since been deleted).
IGN staff like Alanah Pearce are taking a stand against the failing of the IGN HR department. The IGN content team released a statement earlier today as they banded together to not work until solutions to this ongoing problem are addressed.
A STATEMENT FROM THE IGN TEAM
BY THE IGN TEAM [Note: Please know that this has been written by the IGN content team, not by management or legal or anyone else.]
To the gaming and entertainment community:
It is with great sadness, pain, and regret that we tell you that IGN has failed two of its female employees, one former and one current – both of whom the team cares deeply about. We are devastated that two of our own have had to live with and carry this pain for more than a year.
When the women made management and human resources aware of the situation involving a now-former employee, those women, in the estimation of the IGN team, did not get the respect and care that they deserved as IGN employees and as people. That system, plainly put, failed them. It especially failed them but it also failed all of us.
All of us have been wounded deeply by this – though again, our suffering is nothing compared to those of our two beloved friends – and this morning we addressed the open wound directly with our management team and human resources representative in an emotional, difficult, but ultimately productive two-hour meeting, where any and all voices were heard.
We care deeply about what we do, and we hope our passion for video games and entertainment shines through in our articles, videos, and podcasts every day. But we care even more deeply about each other, and we will continue to fight to make this right for the past, present, and certainly the future. Any future allegations will be taken extremely seriously, and we are actively working to ensure that everyone on our team feels like they work in a safe environment; we will not tolerate the exclusion or mistreatment of any people. The human resources representative who oversaw this situation originally is no longer with the company, and our current HR rep has been transparent and willing to listen to ideas and suggestions for how to create a better work environment going forward.
We are aware of the influence that IGN has in the gaming and entertainment community, and we will utilize that to the best of our abilities going forward. And we will continue to challenge our management and human resources teams to fix what is broken, because if we can’t or if we don’t, then IGN will no longer be a place we’re proud to call home – as content creators, entertainment consumers, and as gamers.
Sincerely,
The IGN Team
BY THE IGN TEAM [Note: Please know that this has been written by the IGN content team, not by management or legal or anyone else.]
To the gaming and entertainment community:
It is with great sadness, pain, and regret that we tell you that IGN has failed two of its female employees, one former and one current – both of whom the team cares deeply about. We are devastated that two of our own have had to live with and carry this pain for more than a year.
When the women made management and human resources aware of the situation involving a now-former employee, those women, in the estimation of the IGN team, did not get the respect and care that they deserved as IGN employees and as people. That system, plainly put, failed them. It especially failed them but it also failed all of us.
All of us have been wounded deeply by this – though again, our suffering is nothing compared to those of our two beloved friends – and this morning we addressed the open wound directly with our management team and human resources representative in an emotional, difficult, but ultimately productive two-hour meeting, where any and all voices were heard.
We care deeply about what we do, and we hope our passion for video games and entertainment shines through in our articles, videos, and podcasts every day. But we care even more deeply about each other, and we will continue to fight to make this right for the past, present, and certainly the future. Any future allegations will be taken extremely seriously, and we are actively working to ensure that everyone on our team feels like they work in a safe environment; we will not tolerate the exclusion or mistreatment of any people. The human resources representative who oversaw this situation originally is no longer with the company, and our current HR rep has been transparent and willing to listen to ideas and suggestions for how to create a better work environment going forward.
We are aware of the influence that IGN has in the gaming and entertainment community, and we will utilize that to the best of our abilities going forward. And we will continue to challenge our management and human resources teams to fix what is broken, because if we can’t or if we don’t, then IGN will no longer be a place we’re proud to call home – as content creators, entertainment consumers, and as gamers.
Sincerely,
The IGN Team
Zachary Ryan of IGN says that the management team will be making a statement "soon."