A chilling incident at TwitchCon has sparked outrage across the platform, with many accusing Twitch of negligence when it comes to protecting streamers at their own event. Popular cosplayer and streamer, Emiru, was violently assaulted by a fan at the convention in San Diego, sending shockwaves through the Twitch community and reigniting debates about the appalling state of streamer safety at public events.
On Friday, during the first day of the three-day TwitchCon event, a video emerged showing Emiru, whose real name is Emily-Beth Schunk, at a meet-and-greet when a man approached her, forcefully grabbed her, and attempted to kiss her—without any consent. Emiru, visibly shaken, tried to push him away, but the security team seemed to be either too slow or entirely unprepared. Only her personal security guard stepped in to remove the assailant.
Emiru, who boasts nearly 2 million followers on Twitch, immediately took to social media to blast Twitch’s handling of the situation, calling out the "blatant lie" that the man was apprehended immediately after the attack. According to her, Twitch security did nothing while the man walked away freely, and she only heard he was detained hours later—after much pressure from her manager.
The incident didn’t just highlight the failure of Twitch’s security but also drew attention to a wider issue that has plagued Twitch for years: the culture of toxicity towards women in gaming communities. Female streamers, including Emiru, have long been subjected to harassment and stalking, but Twitch’s response to this specific assault has many wondering whether the platform is truly serious about keeping its creators safe.
In her scathing post, Emiru revealed that she had planned to take legal action, at the very least pressing charges against the man, as Twitch’s initial response seemed lackluster at best. For her, this incident might just be the final straw—she’s already announced that she’ll be skipping future TwitchCons in solidarity with other creators who’ve raised alarms about safety concerns in the past.
The backlash from her assault has been widespread, with fellow popular streamers like Valkyrae and Pokimane voicing their frustrations on social media, demanding that Twitch address the glaring safety issues at their events. Valkyrae even expressed disbelief that TwitchCon security concerns were ignored despite prior warnings from prominent creators about the dangers they faced.
Twitch CEO, Dan Clancy, in a poor attempt to deflect blame, claimed in an interview that the incident was just a reflection of society as a whole—a shocking dismissal of the company's failure to act. He later apologized, admitting that the platform’s response had been entirely inadequate. Twitch has since promised changes to their event security protocols, but with Emiru’s brutal assault fresh in the minds of creators, many remain skeptical that anything meaningful will change.
Twitch may want to rethink its strategy, because as of now, it's clear that their security measures are nothing more than a PR band-aid covering a deep-rooted problem.
Twitch CEO Dan Clancy is facing a firestorm of criticism after admitting that the company failed both in protecting one of its most popular female streamers and in responding to a shocking assault during TwitchCon 2025. The incident, involving Emiru (real name Emily-Beth Schunk), was not only a violation of her personal safety but also a glaring failure of Twitch’s much-vaunted security measures.
During a fan meet-and-greet, Emiru was violently accosted by a man who grabbed her and tried to kiss her against her will. While her personal security team swiftly intervened, Twitch’s own security team appeared to do nothing in the moment. The assailant was allowed to walk away, and it wasn’t until hours later, after significant pressure from Emiru’s team, that Twitch’s staff acted.
Emiru, rightfully furious, took to social media to vent her anger, calling out Twitch for spreading lies about how the situation was handled. According to her, Twitch claimed they had immediately removed the assailant from the event, but in reality, he was allowed to wander freely until the incident was finally taken seriously.
The streamer’s public outcry only fueled the ongoing debate about Twitch’s failure to provide a safe environment for creators, especially women who are frequently targeted by obsessive and toxic fans. The platform’s reputation has taken a serious hit, and many creators are now questioning whether they should continue attending TwitchCon events in the future.
Pokimane, another Twitch star, voiced her support for Emiru, stating that the incident should serve as a wake-up call for Twitch to finally address the deep-seated safety issues that have plagued the platform for years.
Clancy’s response was to shift the blame onto society at large, claiming that such incidents were a “challenge in today’s world.” This ill-timed comment only ignited further outrage, with many accusing him of failing to take responsibility for his company’s negligence. He was eventually forced to issue an apology, acknowledging that Twitch’s response had been wholly inadequate and pledging to review its security protocols for future events.
While Clancy’s statement expressed remorse, it seems like little more than empty words at this point. Twitch is notorious for issuing vague promises of change, yet when the next incident inevitably happens, will it be any different?
As of now, Emiru has made it clear that she will no longer attend TwitchCon in the future, and she plans to take legal action against her attacker. In the aftermath of the assault, Twitch’s handling of the entire ordeal has left many feeling that the platform is more interested in saving face than ensuring the safety of its creators.
It’s clear that Twitch needs more than just empty statements and "increased security" to regain the trust of its creators. The damage is done, and with more streamers speaking out, it’s hard to believe that Twitch will ever fully recover from the fallout.