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I almost never post here (or anywhere for that matter), but this topic has made me delurk.
I absolutely believe Jessica Price and Robert Brookes.
And what they say about Mentzer and Webb is damning enough. But there is another thing that I have to speak up about:
That a volunteer was silenced from reporting the abuse or harassment they suffered while participating as a volunteer because they were under NDA.
That is absolutely not what NDAs are for. An NDA exists to protect trade secrets and business practices, not to silence victims. If terrible anti-harassment policies are a trade secret or business practice that Paizo has to protect itself from with an NDA, then Paizo is not the publisher I thought they were and are unworthy of our support, monetarily or as volunteers.
I am not a Paizo volunteer. I do run games for another publisher and I would quit in an instant if I ever heard they threatened a victim in this manner. I would encourage any of Paizo's volunteers to stop volunteering until Paizo investigates the allegations and unequivocally states that their volunteer NDA will not be used to silence victims.
Paizo, and all publishers in this industry would do well to remember that they cannot put on successful events without the legions of fan volunteers who sacrifice their time for the love of the game. No amount of swag or con or hotel reimbursement is worth putting their safety or their ability to report harassment and abuse on the line.
Please, Paizo, get in front of this, do the right thing.