Misogynist terrorism

Last updated
A plaque memorializing victims of the Ecole Polytechnique massacre Mtl dec6 plaque.jpg
A plaque memorializing victims of the École Polytechnique massacre

Misogynist terrorism is terrorism that is motivated by the desire to punish women. It is an extreme form of misogyny, the policing of women's compliance to patriarchal gender expectations. [1] Misogynist terrorism uses mass indiscriminate violence in an attempt to avenge nonconformity with those expectations or to reinforce the perceived superiority of men.

Contents

Since 2018, misogynist or male supremacist ideology has been listed and tracked by counter-terrorist organizations as an emerging terrorist threat. The terms male supremacist terrorism and misogynistic extremism are also used for these acts of violence.

Misogynist terrorism often targets representatives or stand-ins for a type of person that the terrorist feels anger toward. For instance, some have been motivated by a perception of entitlement to sex with women of a type the perpetrator sees as attractive. These attacks, some arising from the incel subculture, have targeted both women and men seen as sexually successful.

Recognition

According to the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT) at the Hague, counter-terrorism experts were slow to recognize misogyny as an animating ideology for acts of mass violence in comparison to recognition of other ideologies. The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) have tracked misogyny or male supremacy as a motivation for terrorism since 2018, describing it as a "rising threat". [2]

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation considers misogynist violence among the fastest-growing terrorism threats of 2021. [3] A guidebook for law enforcement by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe notes that strict and systematic control of gender roles is used as a recruitment tool both by ISIL/Daesh and by western misogynist extremists among the incel and men's rights movements. Both groups portray men as hyper-masculine warriors and women variously as passive caretakers, sources of sexual gratification, and "the enemy" who must be punished. [4]

The 1989 École Polytechnique massacre is recognized as the first documented mass killing explicitly motivated by antifeminist resentment. The shooter, who killed 14 women and injured 10, stated that his motivations were "political" and that he intended to "fight feminism." [5]

Misogynist ideology is often not mentioned in reports of terrorist attacks even when attackers explicitly state it. [6]

Motivations

Misogyny is common among mass killers, even among those who kill for other reasons. [7] The following are specifically misogynist motivations that have been given as primary reasons for indiscriminate mass killings.

Problems which men face in the modern world

Laura Bates writes that real problems and insecurities faced by young men—such as workplace injuries, cancer, and suicide—can be co-opted by organized online extremist groups. These groups present masculine strength, a lack of vulnerability, a lack of emotion, and other stereotypes of masculinity as solutions to these problems although, she writes, these stereotypes actually cause or exacerbate the problems they claim to solve. Bates says that this ideological grooming can lead to calls for mass violence against women, and that when this occurs it should be categorized as terrorism. [8]

Laurie Penny writes that, like other forms of violent extremism, misogynist extremism "promises the lost and despairing that they will have the respect and sense of purpose they have always longed for, if they only hate hard enough." [9]

Sexual and romantic entitlement

Mass murderers, in some cases identifying as incels, have described being motivated by a perception of entitlement to sex or companionship with women, a desire to seek vengeance for the perception of being rejected by women, and a drive to put women "in their place". [10] For example, in the 2014 Isla Vista attack, the perpetrator set out to "punish all females for the crime of depriving me of sex." [11] Incel ideology has been a contributing factor to 90 fatalities and injuries since this attack, as of early 2020. [12] Feminist writer Jessica Valenti argues that such incels should be viewed as misogynist terrorists and warns that they are being radicalized online. [13]

Sexual entitlement, alone, has been a primary motivator for acts of terror. The ICCT have found that anti-feminist conspiracy theories are typically combined with other far-right ideologies in motivating terrorists; however, sexual entitlement may be a motivation that stands by itself. [2]

In contrast, some terrorists see themselves as combating improper sexual desire. For example, the 2021 Atlanta spa shootings appear to have been motivated by Evangelical Christian beliefs about sexual sin. [14] Alex DiBranco considers this motivation related to sexual entitlement because it also blames women for the perpetrator's own sexual desires. [15]

Male supremacism

In some attacks or threats of terrorism the perpetrator has described desire to reinforce male superiority in a sexual hierarchy by preventing women from being recognized for their work or tolerated in leadership positions. For example, feminist video game critic Anita Sarkeesian received threats of mass shooting and bombing unless a ceremony in which she was to be given an award were canceled. [16] The ICCT argues that the Hanau terrorist attack should be understood as motivated by male supremacism, despite the perpetrator sharing some beliefs of incels. [17]

Proving manhood

Valenti writes that some misogynist terrorists have been motivated by a desire to live up to a stereotype that "real men" are powerful. [18]

Incel beliefs can include an abhorrence of men who are perceived as sexually successful with women. Male victims of misogynist violence have been targeted because of a desperation to assert superiority over these men. [12]

Causing fear

As is typical of terrorism, these acts are intended to cause widespread fear. Any woman may reasonably be unsettled about the potential of being targeted, notes philosopher Kate Manne, because often victims of these killings are treated as essentially interchangeable. Women are targeted merely because they fit a certain type rather than because they have any particular relationship to the killer. [1]

Misogyny need not mean hostility to women universally, or even very generally. Instead, misogynist terrorists often express desire to target women of a particular type, as revenge for perceived slights, or because of a perceived connection of the targeted women with feminism. However, the women targeted have no actual connection to a terrorist targeting indiscriminately; instead they are viewed as representatives or stand-ins for the women he wishes to harm. [1]

Responses

Like other forms of terrorism, misogynist extremist violence is intended to make a political statement. However, political responses to this form of terrorism have been less proactive than the governmental response to Islamic terrorism and other forms of terrorism. [12]

Counter-terrorist response is complicated by cultural attitudes toward misogynist crimes in general. Such crimes tend to be viewed as a "private issue" rather than a proper political subject. [12] Further, because incel attacks sometimes target both men and women indiscriminately, the gender-based motivation of these attacks has been difficult to recognize. [12] [1]

Prosecutions

Christopher Cleary pled guilty to a charge of attempted threat of terrorism for an attack he planned against the 2019 Women's March rally in Provo, Utah. This was the first terrorism-related sentence given to a male supremacist perpetrator motivated primarily by sexual entitlement. [2]

The 2020 Toronto machete attack, in which the perpetrator was associated with an incel group, is the first known instance of someone charged with terrorism on the basis of a misogynist ideology. [19] : 38 

In January 2021, a man in Edinburgh, Scotland was convicted and jailed for breaking terrorism laws by acquiring weapons in preparation for a misogynist attack. [20]

Mitigation

Writers at the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism note that acts of misogynist mass violence can be placed on a continuum with intimate partner abuse, stalking, and other gender-based harassment and violence. They recommend addressing misogynist terrorism with the same approaches applied to these other problems, such as with domestic abuse perpetrator intervention programs. [21]

Australian researchers have recommended securitisation of incel ideology, as has been done for other ideologies that animate terrorism. [12]

Jessica Valenti recommends that feminism build a helpful alternative culture for young men, as it has successfully for young women, which would give young men an alternative to misogynist online communities when seeking respite from mainstream culture's constraints. [18]

List of incidents

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ According to Alex DiBranco: "No misogynist killer articulated the terroristic intention behind his selected target more clearly than 22-year-old Elliot Rodger, who set out on his 'War on Women' to 'punish all females for the crime of depriving me of sex.' The autobiography he left behind—which has been taken as a manifesto for the incel ideology—spells this out.". [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Misogyny</span> Prejudice against, or hatred of, women

Misogyny is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women or girls. It is a form of sexism that can keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the social roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practised for thousands of years. It is reflected in art, literature, human societal structure, historical events, mythology, philosophy, and religion worldwide.

Christian terrorism, a form of religious terrorism, comprises terrorist acts which are committed by groups or individuals who profess Christian motivations or goals. Christian terrorists justify their violent tactics through their interpretation of the Bible and Christianity, in accordance with their own objectives and worldview.

A lone wolf attack, or lone actor attack, is a particular kind of mass murder, committed in a public setting by an individual who plans and commits the act on their own. In the United States, such attacks are usually committed with firearms. In other countries, knives are sometimes used to commit mass stabbings. Although definitions vary, most databases require a minimum of four victims for the event to be considered a mass murder.

Terrorism and mass attacks in Canada includes acts of terrorism, as well as mass shootings, vehicle-ramming attacks, mass stabbings, and other such acts committed in Canada that people may associate with terroristic tactics but have not been classified as terrorism by the Canadian legal system.

In the United States, domestic terrorism is defined as terrorist acts that were carried out within the United States by U.S. citizens and/or U.S. permanent residents. As of 2021, the United States government considers white supremacists to be the top domestic terrorism threat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Right-wing terrorism</span> Terrorism motivated by right-wing and far-right ideologies

Right-wing terrorism, hard right terrorism, extreme right terrorism or far-right terrorism is terrorism that is motivated by a variety of different right-wing and far-right ideologies. It can be motivated by Ultranationalism, neo-Nazism, anti-communism, neo-fascism, ecofascism, ethnonationalism, religious nationalism, anti-immigration, anti-semitism, anti-government sentiment, patriot movements, sovereign citizen beliefs, and occasionally, it can be motivated by opposition to abortion, tax resistance, and homophobia. Modern right-wing terrorism largely emerged in Western Europe in the 1970s, and after the Revolutions of 1989 and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, it emerged in Eastern Europe and Russia.

The 2014 Isla Vista killings were two misogynistic terror attacks in Isla Vista, California. On the evening of Friday, May 23, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured fourteen others by gunshot, stabbing and vehicle ramming near the campus of the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB), before fatally shooting himself.

The manosphere is a diverse collection of websites, blogs, and online forums promoting masculinity, misogyny, and opposition to feminism. Communities within the manosphere include men's rights activists, incels, Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW), pick-up artists (PUA), and fathers' rights groups. While the specifics of each group's beliefs sometimes conflict, they are generally united in the belief that society is biased against men due to the influence of feminism, and that feminists promote misandry, or hatred of men. Acceptance of these ideas is described as "taking the red pill", a metaphor borrowed from the film The Matrix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Domestic terrorism</span> Terrorism committed in a country by its own natives or nationals, without support from abroad

Domestic terrorism or homegrown terrorism is a form of terrorism in which victims "within a country are targeted by a perpetrator with the same citizenship" as the victims. There are various different definitions of terrorism, with no universal agreement about it.

Alpha male and beta male are pseudoscientific terms for men derived from the designations of alpha and beta animals in ethology. They may also be used with other genders, such as women, or additionally use other letters of the Greek alphabet. The popularization of these terms to describe humans has been widely criticized by scientists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Aztec High School shooting</span> School shooting in Aztec, New Mexico

The Aztec High School shooting was a school shooting and murder–suicide that occurred on December 7, 2017, at Aztec High School in Aztec, New Mexico, United States. The perpetrator, William Atchison, a 21-year-old former student, entered the school in the morning disguised as a student and hid in the school restroom. He was discovered before he could launch a major attack, but fatally shot two students before killing himself. Investigators believe that the quick actions of the teachers in barricading doors to the classrooms helped prevent mass casualties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Toronto van attack</span> Canadian van attacks in Toronto

A terrorist vehicle-ramming attack occurred on April 23, 2018, when a rented van was driven along Yonge Street through the North York City Centre business district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The driver, 25-year-old Alek Minassian, targeted pedestrians, killing 11 and injuring 15, some critically. The incident is the deadliest vehicle-ramming attack in Canadian history.

Incel is a term closely associated with an online subculture of people who define themselves as unable to get a romantic or sexual partner despite desiring one. Originally coined as "invcel" around 1997 by a queer Canadian female student known as Alana, the spelling had shifted to "incel" by 1999, and the term later rose to prominence in the 2010s, following the influence of Elliot Rodger.

On November 2, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Tallahassee Hot Yoga, a yoga studio located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. The gunman, identified as Scott Paul Beierle, shot six women, two of them fatally, and pistol-whipped a man before killing himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online gender-based violence</span>

Online gender-based violence is targeted harassment and prejudice through technology against people, disproportionately women, based on their gender. The term is also similar to online harassment, cyberbullying and cybersexism, but the latter terms are not gender-specific. Gender-based violence differs from these because of the attention it draws to discrimination and online violence targeted specifically because of their gender, most frequently those who identify as female. Online gender-based violence can include unwanted sexual remarks, non-consensual posting of sexual media, threats, doxing, cyberstalking and harassment, and gender-based discriminatory memes and posts among other things. Online gender-based violence derives from gender-based violence but it is perpetuated through electronic means. The vulnerable groups include the asexual, bisexual, gay, intersex, trans, intersex, queer, and lesbian. Online gender-based violence may occur through various ways. These include impersonation, hacking, spamming, tracking and surveillance, malicious sharing of intimate messages and photos.

The Toronto machete attack was a misogynist terrorist attack in a Toronto erotic spa on 24 February 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Men Going Their Own Way</span> Anti-feminist, misogynistic, mostly online male-separatist community

Men Going Their Own Way is an anti-feminist, misogynistic, mostly online community advocating for men to separate themselves from women and a society which they believe has been corrupted by feminism. The community is a part of the manosphere, a collection of anti-feminist websites and online communities that also includes the men's rights movement, incels, and pickup artists.

Far-right terrorism in Australia refers to far-right ideologically influenced terrorism on Australian soil. Far-right extremist groups have existed in Australia since the early 20th century, however the intensity of terrorist activities have oscillated until the present time. A surge of neo-Nazism based terrorism occurred in Australia during the 1960's and 70s, carried out primarily by members of the Ustaše organisation. However in the 21st century, a rise in jihadism, the White genocide conspiracy theory and after affects of the COVID-19 pandemic have fuelled far-right terrorism in Australia. Both the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) are responsible for responding to far-right terrorist threats in Australia.

Terrorgram is a portmanteau neologism created by the advocacy group Hope not Hate to refer to a set of Telegram channels and accounts that subscribe to or promote militant accelerationism. Terrorgram channels are neo-fascist in ideology, and regularly share instructions and manuals on how to carry out acts of racially-motivated violence and anti-government terrorism. Terrorgram is a key communications forum for individuals and networks attached to Atomwaffen Division, The Base, and other explicit militant accelerationist groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">White jihad</span> Adoption by white supremacists of jihadist methods, narratives and aesthetics

White jihad is a political neologism for white supremacists' adoption of jihadist methods, narratives and aesthetic.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Manne, Kate (2019). Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny. Ithaca, New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 36–54. ISBN   9780190604981.
  2. 1 2 3 4 DiBranco, Alex (February 10, 2020). "Male Supremacist Terrorism as a Rising Threat". International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. The Hague. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  3. ↑ Rae, Marion (April 29, 2021). "Terrorist attack anticipated in next year". Western Advocate. Canberra, Australia. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  4. ↑ Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (May 2019). Understanding the Role of Gender in Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and Radicalization That Lead to Terrorism (PDF) (Report). Vienna, Austria: Transnational Threats Department, OSCE Secretariat. pp. 47–49. ISBN   9783903128385. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 1, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
  5. 1 2 DiBranco, Alex (December 6, 2019). "The First Anti-Feminist Massacre: A Reckoning with Misogynist Terrorism on the 30th Anniversary of the Montreal Mass Shooting". The Public Eye . Political Research Associates. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  6. ↑ Drewett, Zoe (December 17, 2020). "Misogyny and 'Manosphere' Spreading To Playgrounds 'and Is a Terror Threat', Author Says". Newsweek. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021. In both the U.S. and U.K., anti-terrorism strategies focus on far-right and Islamic extremism but do not pick up a link to misogyny. In reports of terrorist attacks, misogynist ideology is often not mentioned, even when attackers like Rodger or Minassian explicitly state it.
  7. ↑ Bosman, Julie; Taylor, Kate; Arango, Tim (August 10, 2019). "A Common Trait Among Mass Killers: Hatred Toward Women". The New York Times . Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  8. ↑ Kelsey-Sugg, Anna; Zajac, Bec (April 2, 2021). "Misogynistic 'radicalisation' of boys online has these experts calling for change". ABC Radio National. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
  9. ↑ Penny, Laurie (May 25, 2014). "Laurie Penny on misogynist extremism: Let's call the Isla Vista killings what they were". New Statesman. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  10. ↑ Valenti, Jessica (April 26, 2018). "When Misogynists Become Terrorists". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  11. ↑ Vito, Christopher (October 23, 2017). "Masculinity, aggrieved entitlement, and violence: considering the Isla Vista mass shooting". NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies . 13 (2): 86–102. doi:10.1080/18902138.2017.1390658. S2CID   149302916.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Tomkinson, Sian; Harper, Tauel; Attwell, Katie (May 7, 2020). "Confronting Incel: exploring possible policy responses to misogynistic violent extremism". Australian Journal of Political Science . 55 (2): 152–169. doi:10.1080/10361146.2020.1747393. S2CID   218933914.
  13. ↑ Safier, Chole (July 12, 2018). "What We Already Know About Incels". New America . Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  14. ↑ Graham, Ruth (March 20, 2021). "Atlanta Suspect's Fixation on Sex Is Familiar Thorn for Evangelicals". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  15. ↑ Lempinen, Edward (March 19, 2021). "Georgia attack reflects misogyny, racism embedded in mainstream society". Berkeley News. UC Berkeley. Archived from the original on March 22, 2021. Retrieved March 21, 2021.
  16. ↑ Valenti, Jessica (August 29, 2015). "Anita Sarkeesian interview: 'The word "troll" feels too childish. This is abuse'". The Guardian . Archived from the original on August 29, 2015. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
  17. ↑ Jasser, Greta; Kelly, Megan; Rothermel, Ann-Kathrin (20 May 2020). "Male supremacism and the Hanau terrorist attack: between online misogyny and far-right violence". The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The Hague. Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  18. 1 2 Valenti, Jessica (July 29, 2018). "How feminists can help boys". The Santa Fe New Mexican . Archived from the original on February 13, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  19. 1 2 Bates, Laura (2020). Men Who Hate Women: From incels to pickup artists, the truth about extreme misogyny and how it affects us all. Simon & Schuster UK. ISBN   978-1728236247. OCLC   1125958377.
  20. ↑ Wilkie, Stephen (January 12, 2021). "Edinburgh student jailed for ten years after terrorism trial; A student who was 'addicted' to reading about mass murders carried out by misogynist 'Incel' killers has been jailed for ten years for breaching terrorism laws". Edinburgh Evening News.
  21. ↑ Kelly, Megan; DiBranco, Alex; DeCook, Julia R. (February 18, 2021). "Misogynist Incels and Male Supremacism". New America. Institute for Research on Male Supremacism. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Man Charged in Library Shooting Testfies He Wanted To Shoot Women | AP News". Associated Press News . 2023-05-12. Archived from the original on 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-07-02.
  23. ↑ "Virgin teenager Ben Moynihan: Guilty of stabbing women". BBC. Hampshire. January 20, 2015. Archived from the original on December 6, 2020. Retrieved November 1, 2020.
  24. ↑ Bader, Christopher D.; Baker, Joseph O.; Gordon, Ann; Day, L. Edward (2020). Fear Itself: The Causes and Consequences of Fear in America. NYU Press. pp. 78–79. ISBN   9781479864362.
  25. ↑ Aggeler, Madeline (August 27, 2018). "Texas Man Accused of Shooting Female Drivers, Believes They Are 'Incompetent'". The Cut . Archived from the original on September 25, 2020. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
  26. ↑ Long, Colleen (March 15, 2022). "Secret Service study of yoga class shooting shows misogyny". Yahoo News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2022. The shooting that left two women dead and wounded six others spotlights the growing concern posed by extremists with hatred toward women, according to a case study the U.S. Secret Service released Tuesday.
  27. ↑ Dowd, Trone (May 22, 2020). "Arizona Mass Shooter Who Live-Streamed Attack Was a Self-Described 'Incel' Targeting Couples". Vice . Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  28. ↑ Dewan, Shaila; Cowan, Jill (March 18, 2021). "How Racism and Sexism Intertwine to Torment Asian-American Women". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.