The parents of Kerri Moynihan (32) a woman who committed suicide while on a company retreat withActivision Blizzardin 2017 have requested that their lawsuit be dismissed. The lawsuit in question aimed to hold the company accountable for the sexual harassment going on atActivision Blizzard. Specifically, how it played a significant part in Kerri Moynihan’s decision to end her own life.
The lawsuit stood on the basis that Activision Blizzard should be held accountable for not preventing the harassment that Kerri fell victim to. One example of said harassment was that during a holiday party, sensitive photos of the victim were passed around for her coworkers to view. This sexual harassment lawsuit also referenced the first lawsuit filed by the State of California, which found an underpinning"Frat Boy" culture at Activision Blizzard.
RELATED:Activision Accused of Illegally Threatening Staff During unionization Efforts
The parents' reasons for wishing to withdraw the lawsuit are currently unclear, with no official reason being given with the request. Not only do the parents of the deceased wish to dismiss the lawsuit, but they also want to do so “with prejudice”. This essentially means that Activision Blizzard cannot be sued again for the same lawsuit. While a dismissal would close the door on this case, a judge has recently orderedActivision Blizzard to pay an $18 million settlementfor a wider sexual misconduct lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed in March this year. An Activision Blizzard spokesperson publicly responded to the parents' sexual harassment lawsuit, stating that the company is “deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ms. Moynihan, who was a valued member of the company. We will address the complaint through the legal process as appropriate, and out of respect for the family we have no further comment at this time.” In the time since the tragedy of Kerri’s death, although not soon enough, steps towards a healthier workplace appear to be being made.Raven Software has recently formed its first recognized union, coming under the Activision Blizzard umbrella.
In relation to the original lawsuit, Activision Blizzard claimed that it “includes distorted, and in many cases false, descriptions of Blizzard’s past.” It’s been reported that in the past staff have been discouraged to speak up against the abhorrent behavior that they’ve been subjected to. One employee spoke about how they weredemoted for reporting the sexual harassmentgoing on in the workplace.
DespiteActivision Blizzard being in the process of being purchased by Microsoft, the company still finds itself in a lot of trouble. With allegations and lawsuits shining a light on the negative environment at Activision Blizzard. There is hope that being acquired by Microsoft will act as a catalyst for positive change. However, it should not have taken a tragic loss of life and multiple allegations of misconduct for positive change to potentially take place.
