Vaz claims games let you "rape women"
Misguided MP challenged in Parliament.
Labour MP Keith Vaz has finally been challenged in the Houses of Parliament after he claimed videogames let you "rape women".
His comments were made during a debate on Friday that sought to make the BBFC accountable to Parliament and the public to "encourage a return to more responsible decisions".
"Videogames are different because they are interactive," argued Vaz, reported by GamesIndustry.biz. "People who are watching a film at the cinema cannot participate in what is happening on the screen, or if they do they are removed from the cinema.
"However, someone sitting at a computer playing a videogame, or someone with one of those small devices that young people have these days, the name of which I forget: PlayStations or PSPs, something of that kind...
"Well, whatever they are called, when people play these things, they can interact. They can shoot people; they can kill people. As the honourable Gentleman said, they can rape women," he added.
The "honourable Gentleman" referred to was Julian Brazer, Conservative MP for Canterbury, sponsor of the Bill. Not the police telly show.
Vaz also trotted out the old Warren Leblanc Manhunt connection theory, despite police having rubbished it ages ago. Margaret Hodge, Minister for Culture, Media and Sport, was eager to promote the facts of the murder enquiry and distance the role of Manhunt as violent inspiration.
"The game was discovered not in [killer] Warren Leblanc's possession but in the victim's possession," she said. "It does not feature the use of a hammer, and it was not considered by the police to be a contributory factor. No such connection was ever suggested in court.
"Indeed, the prosecution and defence barristers insisted in court that the video game had played no part in the killing. It was reported that Leblanc was motivated by fear of a gang to which he owed money."
Conservative MP Edward Vaizey had also heard enough, and asked Brazer (Vaz had left) if he knew of "any videogame that has as its intention the carrying out of rape", because the BBFC and he were "unaware of any such game".
"I cannot comment on the rape in games issue, but I can tell the House what Stefan Pakeerah's father said after Warren Leblanc had murdered his son," responded Brazer.
"He said that Manhunt is a game using weapons like hammers and knives...The object of Manhunt is not just to go out and kill people. It's a point-scoring game where you increase your score depending on how violent the killing is. That explains why Stefan's murder was as horrific as it was."
Brilliant.
The debate will continue this Friday, when Margaret Hodge will offer a complete response to the case made.
Vaz will likely complain that his arguments will be "pilloried in the press that is sponsored by the videogames industry" again.
The results of the Byron Report are also expected at the end of this month; an investigation set up by the Prime Minister to look into the effects of violence on the Internet and in videogames.
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Comments (80) Latest comment 4 years ago
Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!
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Wanker.
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Remind me why we vote for these morons again? For them to not research things, to ignore facts when presented them and to generally pervert the course of intelligent thought? I'm sure just as many people think videogames should be banned as thought that in 1940 that piece of paper in 1935 was Peace in our time and was still working...
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http://en.w ikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Raper
EDIT: oh and lets not forget its sequel:
http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_Raper_2
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I can't wait for the Bryon report, from what I've heard it's been very positive and it should lay all of this nonsense to rest (and shut these outdated fools up once and for all!)
On the plus side most people in the UK know Vaz is a twat so not many will listen.
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prick.
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That show rocks! One of the last places for common sense and sensible debate on TV!
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So games that exist anywhere on the planet but not legally available in the UK have to be considered when the Commons proposes legislation? It rather looks like Keith "make the cheque out to cash" Vaz has been talking shite with Jack Thompson.
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Not passed or certified for release in the UK, AFAIK.
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It didn't receive a classification the UK and as such is not freely available. You could illegally download it I suppose but then there are plenty of movies (Hentai for example) depicting rape in an exploitative fashion that you could illegally download too. Yet I don't see people decrying movies for destroying social values.
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I don't jump on mushrooms when I see them do I? (okay bad example
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Didn't you know? Mario is an evil game which promotes hate crimes against fungus and turtles.
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Even still, many movies have rape scenes. If a game wants to feature rape as a part of a mature storyline, then I haven't got a problem with it.
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Well, whatever they are called..."
Sorry, sorry, sorry. Did he just transform into a walking stereotype in the Houses of Parliament?
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So he was more violent in his killing to get more points? Do these people actually realize how stupid that is?
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[link url=http: //laist.com/2008/02/26/man_stabs_movie.php
]http://la ist.com/2008/02/26/man_stabs_mo...[/link]
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You just aren't looking very hard then... it still happens, expecially with the fundamenatalists. However, that war has basically been won in the Political arena, whereas games are still a valid target. Give it time, and this will go the same way as the arguments against books, movies and music...
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OF COURSE! WHAT A GENIUS!
Sack these imcompetant fuck-wits. They are a disgrace to even consider themselves running this country.
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surely its no different to 'acting along' to a porno.
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So they don't have homes where they can watch their pRons?
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He's a bit of a thick twat by the sounds of things, even though the 'manhunt' case facts are well know he still chooses to believe whatever he wants to and applies it to 'rape', how strange.
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1) Harold Shipman - 28,358 points
2) Fred West - 20,610 points
3) Myra Hindley - 7,698 points
Zone: Insane
If only the police knew at the time Shipman was a gamerscore whore! doh!
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Quality! That's made my day mate!
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It seemed to work for the Hinduja Brothers.
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thank you squire, i was rather happy with that, especially the Zone: Insane bit
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Ive played a number of 'violent' games, and have so far not gone out to copy any of this violent...indeed I have a respectable job etc etc. There are always going to be a minority of people who cant differentiate between right and wrong/ fantasy or reality, and they will be influenced by any number of things....hell, they may even see a particularly violent news report on the TV. IF people are going to start focusing on Video game violence, can they also then ban the news, films, music, certain cartoons, books etc etc.
The real way to sort this issue out, is to apply the same sort of age rating you get on filims etc and enforce it. Put the responsibility back with the parents etc.
Video games have come a long way since the days of space invaders (sorry, thats quite a violent game too...all that shooting etc) and now appeal to a large percentage of the adult popuation, and not just kids. Responsible adults should be able to to enjoy adult themed games without the fear of some meddling government do-gooder sticking his nose in
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"Well, whatever they are called"
So the guy can not be bothered to even learn a little about the subject he is attacking. Words fail me. If you are going to be vehemently against something why not actually take 5 minutes to gen up on what a few of the things you are attacking are called?
Being anti something and then being so apathetic as to not be bothered to learn the proper names for the things you are against just makes the guy sound like a moron.
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on a slight side note... parents stop buying your kids 18 rating games! You are not f**king idiots, check the age!
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Someone should create a 'Concentration Camp Building' game in the vein of Sim City or what have you and challenge Mr. Vaz to play it for 3 weeks straight. Obviously this is a program specifically for this purpose, not for general release before anyone gets upset. After the play session his behaviour is monitored and if he starts to round up people into camps he can be arrested and removed that way, if however he doesn't, he's proven his own argument to be fatuous and his credibility is also removed. As I said, win fucking win.
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Welcome to UK government...........
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Gave me a chuckle, anyway.
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Thanks for the tip I googled it, what a complete tosser! Great respect to Kermode for tearing him a new one!
Everyone should hear this utter prat try to blame movies for rape and compare "battle" to solve the "problem" to stopping child porn! This man SHOULD NOT be making decisions for our country!!
Games don't make me want to kill these w*****s do!
Here's a link for the show Rodafowa was talking about.
[link url=http://www.melon farmers.co.uk/bw.htm
]http://www.melon farmers.co.uk/bw.htm
[/link]
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Yeah but you answered it yourself "a link between exposing children to mature content and increased aggression, both in games and films. "
CHILDREN....parents sort your lives out get your head out your butts and PARENT your kids
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Dum derdle doobah der der dum dee derrr
"Gag the victim . . . (gag the victim) . . . tie the hands . . . (tie the hands) . . . "
Ok, it's a very sick joke. But it's got me giggling at the thought of that cartoony character saying something so perverse.
btw: the problem with too many politicians is that they are motivated by a sense of personal power. They crave influence. And to have influence one must have some kind of control. They don't like the fact that they cannot have organisations accountable to them.
And, it has to be said, the games industry does itself no favours by constantly courting controversy.
Anyway the whole thing reminds me of the comedian Sean Lock, who has a routine about mutilating and killing an imaginary animal (is it a panda ?) and then pointing out to the audience that it doesn't matter. It doesn't exist.
I think it was a parrot.
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That is part of the issue, I agree. Like Margaret Hodge said wait for the Byron report which addresses (hopefully) all the issues, but these fools Vaz and Brazer are talking complete nonsense with no intelligent argument, which is a different matter completely....
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Well we can only hope this Byron report works out the way it should. We all know what the problem is like you say it's not treated as it it should, for adults.
But you know I don't know if I can agree with that 100%. When I was young (right or wrong) I saw many "banned" horror flicks in the 80's. From the ages of 7-8 I saw movies like Evil Dead, Exorcist, Spit on your Grave etc, add to that I LOVE violent games. You may gasp in horror but I'm not crazy or violent (I think?) and ALWAYS knew it wasn't real, just effects and actors or just a game. I KNEW what entertainment was and still do, so do my friends and everyone I've ever met for that matter.
So why has that changed now?
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Avoid swearing, silly references which no non-gamer would understand. Instead grab some figures off the ELSPA website stating that the average age of of a video game player is in their early thirties, point out that Britain is the worlds third largest producer of video games and dispel as many myths as you can (if you can acuse Kieth Vaz et al of wilfully distorting the facts and mention again that the police, defence, prosecuters found no link what so ever with Manhunt in Vaz's oft used example in which it was the victim who owned the game not the murderer. Also feel free to point out that it is illegal to sell BBFC rated video games to people below the age stated with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment.
Close by lamenting how your hobby is constantly used as a scape goat for societies ills with no evidence to back it up and mention that you would not vote for a party/politician that curtiles personal freedoms so much.
Generally just have a quiet and respectful rant. I would put an example letter up here but copied and pasted letters are soon spotted and get ignored (feel free to post any responses though).
I did get a good response from David Cameron('s people) when I wrote to him after he had his rant on video games last year.
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"I don't think that you're qualified to psychoanalyse yourself
I'm gonna KILL YOU for that!!! Where's my Manhunt hammer?
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Women are raped because of the dominant societal discourse not videogames.
I guess its because they all do degrees in politics not sociology, and thus cant provide any useful social commentary past a self serving sycophantic ode to the white middle class nuclear family. (Ie one of the smallest and therefore what should be the least important elements of society.)
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Fourth, now, we've been overtaken by those cunning bastard Canucks. I suppose if you're writing a strppy letter to your MP, you could put in a request that they raise a bill for Candanian-style tax breaks for UK-based games developers
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We do need a fully clarified advisory body to certify games and legislation to punish people who sell 18 games to kids.
Then, hopefully, everyone will just shut the fuck up.
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More news commentary.
[link url=http: //news.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-6220530.html
]http://ne ws.zdnet.com/2100-9595_22-62205...[/link]
The actual paper referenced in frod's link.
[link url=ht tp://www.apa.org/journals/releases/dev392201.pdf
]http://ww w.apa.org/journals/releases/dev...[/link]
Some general stuff about media violence research, including some common critisisms (one of which references Huesmann's own work).
[link url= http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_violence_research
]http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_viole...[/link]
None of it is clear cut by any stretch. Its far from a simple or black and white issue, and its always a shame to see posters coming out with an opposite version of the same nonsense that KV been spouting (don't mean you at all btw frod, just in case that seems implied).
Safe to say none of us on here really understand the issues fully and we would all look a bit smarter if we accepted that and tried to inform ourselves. Keith Vaz is clearly a cock, but lets not let that completely cloud the issue. Whether KV can be arsed to research any of the words that come out of his mouth AT ALL does not mean there is no substance whatsoever in the suggestion that media influences behaviour by degrees.
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A fucking HUGE fine for any vendor selling a game to an underage customer, and an equally massive fine for a parent doing the same (unenforcable as such a thing would be, but I can dream) would help to nip that shit in the bud quick smart.
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search for "battle raper" on torrent illegally.
But as was said.. that would never and will never be released in this country so it doesnt count.
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]http://en.wikiped ia.org/wiki/Biko_3
[/link]
This one as well. 2 in 1 package- stalking and raping
These japs are crazy, i tell ya. Prolly illegal in UK as well and prolly anyone without serious brain damage doesn't play them.
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But no one talks of banning football.
Finally to engage in an enjoyable past time mud slinging at psychologists. The meb who largelypopularised and gave birth to psychology Carl Jung and Freud, were respectively a devout Christian and an man who wanted to be a writer all his life, based his theories on greek mythology, and served mainly a white middle class female clients...
Psychology is like the man who built his house on the sand, unstable foundations.
That and unlike other subjects it tends not to want to reinforce its foundations by criticising its past masters like say any other academic discipline ever.
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...but they do exist
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Before I frag you! I saw it in Doom and it looked fun!
Or I could put him in an oven (thanks Frank Castle)