Brazil: Violence Against Women in Esports and Gaming

Brazil.– 10 March 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com  In 2021, a survey conducted through Google Forms and shared on Twitter (now X) led to the creation of a document addressing an urgent issue: violence against women in esports and gaming.

A total of 157 responses were collected in just seven days, based on listening directly to the community.

Reading the document reveals something important: it is based on the real experiences of those who live within the gaming environment on a daily basis. Although the sample is limited, the figures and testimonies reveal a concerning pattern.

Some data points are particularly striking. According to the gender profile chart (p. 5), 71% of respondents are women. Regarding age range (p. 6), 81% are between 12 and 17 years old. And the most alarming statistic: 93.6% report having suffered or witnessed some form of violence while playing (p. 8).

We are mainly talking about teenagers.

The testimonies on pages 9 and 10 are harsh and revealing. Sexual harassment, threats, stalking, technical disqualification simply for being a woman, voice and text message attacks, improper exposure, and in some cases violence even perpetrated by coaches.

This challenges the narrative that the problem lies only in “toxic chat” or the anonymity of public matches. It also manifests within teams and competitive environments.

The document rightly proposes educational campaigns, strengthening reporting channels, expanding research and building stronger links with public authorities (p. 12). These are important steps.

However, from a more structural perspective, progress can be made in three key areas.

First, establishing concrete accountability mechanisms. Recommending good practices is not enough. Clear consequences must be defined, with formal codes of conduct, investigation procedures and proportional sanctions.

Second, creating standardised protocols for organisations, teams and championships. It cannot depend on the personal sensitivity of each coach. If the sector seeks professionalisation, it must establish a minimum institutional standard of integrity.

Third, defining monitoring metrics and transparency. How many complaints were filed? How many were investigated? What measures were implemented?

Without indicators, there is no consistent policy. Transparency is a tool of credibility.

Brazil is one of the largest esports markets in the world and has a significant base of female players. If we want a mature, sustainable and socially legitimate ecosystem, we must recognise that diversity and inclusion are not merely communication topics.

They are structural issues.

The document has limitations, but it represents a starting point. It fulfils an essential function: transforming individual experiences into collective data.

The next step is to transform these data into policies, protocols and clear responsibilities.

Editó: @_fonta zonadeazar.com