It Continues to Be a Real Mystery Why There Are Women Who Don't Feel Safe Gaming

by Shaker masculine_lady, who has over 15 years of experience in the field of ending gender-based violence. She shares her home and life with her wife, three children, an elderly dachshund, and a badass cat named Eartha Kitty.

[Content Note: Domestic violence; violence against women.]

I like to play games on my phone, but sadly, I have a Windows phone and the games marketplace is sorely lacking when it comes to old standbys like Candy Crush. So, I peruse the marketplace at least once a day to see what new and interesting time wasting crap is available.
Today, I found this: (insert picture, obvs).


What a perfect game to debut in October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. I am definitely feeling acutely aware of intimate partner violence after having seen that on my phone this afternoon.

I get that there are violent video games where characters and avatars get killed, where even the object of the game is killing, and I'm not inclined to get into a whole discussion about video game violence in general, on which there is no consensus even among people of good faith.

This, however, is categorically indefensible. This is targeted violence against wives—wives who are nagging, and not attractive. The player's goal is to prevent the wives from leaving by smashing them into hotter and more appealing wives.

"If you didn't nag me so much…" is an excuse that batterers use. "If you would just be the way I want you to be," is an excuse that batterers use. "If you try to leave me, I will kill you," is something batterers say. "WifeSmash" is real fucking life for as many as 25% of women in the United States, many of whom are assaulted most brutally or even murdered when they try to escape their abusive partners.

In case it's not clear: I am not offended; I am contemptuous.

[If you have a Windows phone (bless your heart), you can report the app from inside the marketplace. You have to search for the game, and then you'll have the option to report just like in the picture above.]