Twitch faces backlash after popular streamer Emiru says she was assaulted at TwitchCon

The assault of a popular cosplayer at Twitch’s annual livestreaming convention has intensified concerns about seemingly lackluster safety protocols at TwitchCon

The assault of a popular cosplayer at Twitch’s annual livestreaming convention has intensified concerns about seemingly lackluster safety protocols at TwitchCon.

On Friday, the first of the three-day convention in San Diego, videos circulated online of a man walking up to the streamer Emiru at a meet-and-greet and appearing to grab her for a kiss as she tries to push him away. Her security guard quickly intervenes and drives the man away.

Popular cosplayer Emily-Beth Schunk, 27, known online as Emiru, has nearly 2 million followers on Twitch, where she streams gaming, cosplay and other variety content. She is also a co-owner and content creator for the gaming media production brand One True King.

To many fans online, her assault validated long-running fears about streamer safety at in-person events, particularly scheduled meet-and-greets where fans know exactly where a particular creator will be ahead of time. Some streamers online claimed they canceled their meet-and-greets or skipped this year’s TwitchCon altogether because of existing concerns about security, while others said they plan to shun future TwitchCons in solidarity with Emiru.

Some online further pointed to the longtime culture of toxicity against women in gaming communities, including on platforms like Twitch, where female streamers have often been subjected to sexual harassment by users who watch their streams. Twitch has tried to crack down on such behavior in recent years.