Ryan Kopf's Answers: Anime Conventions and Sexual Assault

I stand against any exploitation of women.

I have thought deeply about what you are supposed to say when false accusations are weaponized against you, when you are in a position of public trust and leadership.

I’ve come to see that transparency, honesty, and a commitment to accountability are the best ways to address these situations. Unfortunately, personal relationships can end with bitter and hard feelings, which turn into untrue accusations.

These are then amplified by groups I've pissed off - 99% of any negative press I see about myself comes from 1) the staff of competitor businesses or 2) people I've banned from my events for their creepy behavior.

I strongly deny any claims against me. But due to the anonymous nature of social media, people can say whatever they'd like to; there's no way to fight for the truth against an army of people who have nothing better to do with their time.

What I can say is that I am committed to upholding a safe and respectful environment at all AnimeCon.org events. Ensuring the safety and well-being of attendees is my top priority, and I fully support rigorous policies and training to address any reports of harassment or misconduct. Our approach is built on transparency and accountability, so everyone can feel safe and valued at our conventions.

AnimeCon.org's stance on sexual assault.

Accusations of sexual assault have encouraged my organization to take any reports of sexual assault or sexual harassment more seriously than any other conventions. I started by writing one of the most comprehensive and honest harassment policies ever seen at a convention.

I think protecting people goes beyond just a written policy. Consistent enforcement of anti-harassment policies is important to protecting our guests. Some of my loudest critics are individuals we’ve kicked out for harassing other guests.

We do not tolerate harassment, sexual assault, or assault at our events. My company, AnimeCon.org, takes all allegations of assault very seriously. Any assault or harassment will get perpetrators removed from our conventions.

We train our staff with trauma informed care. Staff will conduct a thorough investigation into these accusations to find out details regarding these situations in order to protect our attendees. Once a conclusion is made then consequences are dealt accordingly.

We have witnessed patrons making false claims in order to remove a patron that they simply don’t want at the convention. False claims will not be tolerated.

Our goal is to create and foster a safe, fun, and inclusive environment for our guests at our conventions. AnimeCon.org considers the safety of our guests our top priority.

Sexual assault at anime conventions.

If you experience problems during a convention, please do not hestitate to tell our convention staff.

I created a transparency website to provide answers regarding accusations of sexual assault.

Thank you for joining me to create safer conventions.