A Female Competitor reports Sexual Assault
Nevada – Cristian Medina, also known as Hyuga, a Super Smash Bros. (Smash 4) player was dropped from his professional gaming team after sexual assault allegations were raised during the Evo 2016 tournament. Hyuga was under the influence and allegedly unaware of his actions when the sexual assault took place.
A female competitor Victoria Perez, known as VikkiKitty, claims Hyuga inappropriately touched her while she was asleep. Perez broke the news via Twitter. VikkiKitty gave Hyuga permission to stay in her hotel room with her and her boyfriend, DJ Jack, so he wouldn’t be wasted and wandering during their time in Las Vegas. VikkiKitty stated, “I fell asleep next to my boyfriend on the bed and I woke up to Cristian in between my boyfriend and I.” She also said, “he rubbed against me and sliding his hands up my shirt and another down my pants.”
VikkiKitty was unable to resume sleeping after her unexpected experience. She alleged that it lasted 15 minutes. Hyuga attempted to touch her again then a different Smasher, Nick Riddle, who was also present, awoke and managed to interfere with the misconduct and remove Hyuga from the room.
After sobriety had been restored, Hyuga sent an apology message to all parties involved for his actions that occurred on the night of July 16, according to Riddle. Hyunga acknowledged that he made a huge mistake and requested that they refrain from taking further action against him. Hyuga claims the alcohol triggered the unwanted physical contact and continued to inform everyone that he’s not a bad person.
Although Hyuga attempted to do damage control with the other Smashers, Perez already filed a complaint with hotel security and allegedly planned to inform the Las Vegas Police Department. The team, VGBootCamp, had already made their decision to pull Hyuga from the team. VGBootCamp followed protocol with a completed investigation into the allegations prior to making their decision.
The team stated, “We want to set a precedent for all teams and sponsored players in the community to say that these actions will not be glossed over and ignored.” Industries that follow a similar pattern receive a great deal of respect from all individual associated with their business considering they address and resolve work-related issues as oppose to allowing the problems to be swept under the rug or grow into a much larger issue. Sexual harassment has been a major problem at Smash events, and the team refuses to let this one go unnoticed. Smash Bros. fans are so proud of the entire organization for the way they handled the sexual assault incident. The team made it clear that sexual assault is not welcome there.
The Power of Alcohol
The lesson behind this sexual assault incident is “drink in moderation.” Hyuga had only been signed to VGBootCamp team for two days prior to this incident, and now he’s gone. He made a decision to drink heavily, and it cost him a major part of his life. Many people dream of being a professional game player, and Hyuga was selected. All humans make mistakes, and Hyuga is not exempt. However, mistakes come with consequences. Employees are not allowed to show up to work and sexually harass or assault a co-worker, and the same rules apply to Hyuga.
Alcohol impairs one’s judgment and memory. It’s very important to be mindful of alcohol intake, especially during work activities. Alcohol is not worth supporting someone else income while risking one’s own.
Are you in need of Legal Assistance?
The employment law attorneys at the Derek Smith Law Group, PLLC in New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia are available to provide legal assistance to your sexual assault case. If you have ever experienced workplace misconduct in the tri-state area, contact our employment law attorneys. Our attorney is prepared to listen to you, help you understand your rights, and deliver the best legal representation both in and out of the courtroom.
Contact Our Employment Attorneys
If you feel you have been the victim of workplace discrimination or sexual harassment in New York City, Miami, New Jersey or Philadelphia or if your employment rights have been violated, call us at 800-807-2209 for a free consultation. Our attorneys are available to review your claims and prepare a solid case to recover the damages and justice you deserved.
