The women who accused the scriptwriter on Twitter and the media Chris Avellone of sexual harassment in 2020 (and which caused the industry to completely turn its back on it) are completely retracted.
The litigation (which Avellone started for defamation, they did not sue him) has come to an amicable end, with a settlement in which Karissa Barrows and Kelly Rae Bristol acknowledge that Chris Avellone never sexually abused themnor are they aware that he has done it with any other woman.
Both ask that Avellone receives back the support of the industrywhile Avellone asks that the privacy of his two plaintiffs be respected (and he will receive a significant amount of compensation).
I wanted to thank everyone on both sides who chose not to rush to judgment but instead were willing to listen and let the legal process take its course, let the facts come out on both sides, and come to a resolution.
— Chris Avellone (@ChrisAvellone) March 25, 2023
Chris Avellone is exonerated after being disowned by the industry in 2020
Chris Avellonethe scriptwriter and role-playing game designer who has worked on numerous installments of the saga Fallout, Planescape, Baldur’s Gate, KOTOR o Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order he was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment by two women in 2020.
Karissa Barrows and Kelly Rae Bristol accused Avellone publicly on Twitter (reported by Kotaku) that the screenwriter he used his influence and alcohol to make advances and sexual misconduct against various women.
As a result of these accusations, Avellone lost their jobs in the games Dying Light 2 and The Waylanders, and Paradox parted ways with him in Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2.
In 2021, Chris Avellone sued Barrows and Rae Bristol for defamationand after two years of litigation both parties have reached an agreement: the lawsuit has been dismissed with prejudice (definitively archived), and Avellone will be rewarded with a “seven figure” paymentwhich include all of Avellone’s lawyer’s costs.
The women who accused Avellone admit that he “never sexually abused them”
On Avellone’s blog, the screenwriter publishes a statement signed by Karissa Barrows and Kelly Rae Bristol where they acknowledge that Chris Avellone never sexually abused themnor are they aware that he has done it with any other woman.
“Mr. Avellone has never sexually abused any of us. We are not aware of him sexually assaulting any women. We are not aware of Mr. Avellone ever misusing corporate funds. Anything we have said or previously written about Mr. Avellone contrary to these facts was not our intention.”
The two women explain the reason for their accusations, which were “misinterpreted”.
“We wanted to support women in the industry. In doing so, our words have been misinterpreted to suggest specific allegations of misconduct that were unspoken and unintended.”
“We stand for the safety and agency of women, minorities, LGBTQIA+ people, and any other communities that have experienced persecution in the video game industry. We believe Mr. Avellone shares a desire to protect and enhance those communities. . We believe he deserves a full return to the industry and we support him in those efforts.”.
Chris Avellone calls for the privacy of Barrows and Bristol to be respected and praises their defense of women
Avellone, for his part, thanks everyone, on both sides, who they did not rush to render a verdict and that they were willing to listen and let the legal process take its course.
“I appreciate Ms. Barrows and Ms. Bristol’s willingness to work with us to address issues within the gaming community, and their advocacy is commendable and supportive.”
“There are still many very real challenges that we face, but I am confident that we can face them together.”
“In the spirit of these goals, I would ask everyone to please respect the privacy of Ms. Barrows and Ms. Bristol and use this opportunity as a means to listen to all voices to improve our culture and our communities”, concludes Chris Avellone.
