Section 8: Safety Considerations
Mafia is a low-contact activity, but its themes involve accusation, deception, and fictional elimination. Before play, confirm that everyone is comfortable with the premise. Groups playing with children or participants who dislike crime themes may use Villagers and Werewolves, spies and agents, or another lighthearted theme.
Physical Safety
- Players should remain seated or still during night phases unless the playing area is clear and movement is required.
- Keep walkways free of bags, cords, and furniture hazards, especially when the room is dimmed.
- Do not turn off all lighting if doing so would create a fall risk.
- Do not touch another player to communicate a night action unless everyone has expressly agreed to that method.
- Allow players to keep their eyes lowered instead of tightly closed if closing them causes discomfort.
Emotional Safety and Respect
Accusations must stay within the fictional game. Players may challenge statements and strategies, but they should not use real-life secrets, protected characteristics, personal insecurities, or past conflicts as leverage. Shouting, intimidation, unwanted contact, and humiliating remarks are never legitimate deduction tactics.
Agree on a pause signal before play. Any participant may use it if discussion becomes overwhelming or uncomfortable. The moderator should pause without requiring the player to justify the request publicly. A player may leave the game at any time; the moderator should resolve the departure using the same announced procedure used for other removals.
Privacy and Accessibility
Do not record audio, video, private messages, or night actions without everyone's informed permission. Provide written role descriptions, repeated verbal prompts, or private accessible signals when needed. Timed discussions should allow reasonable communication accommodations, and no player should be penalized for using them.
Healthy Session Length
Take breaks during long sessions and stop if fatigue makes secret actions unreliable or discussion hostile. The purpose of Mafia is shared entertainment: deception belongs to the fictional roles, while consent, fairness, and respect govern the people playing them.