Misogynist terrorism refers to the most extreme manifestation of misogyny and violence against women. This type of terrorism specifically targets women and girls by subjecting them to mass murder and bodily harm. Those who commit such acts may have either complex motives or a simple motive, but the majority of cases include a general desire to establish or assert perceived male supremacy by policing women's compliance to patriarchy and violently punishing them into submission to certain gender norms.[1]
Since the 2018 Toronto van attack, misogynist or male supremacist ideologies have been listed and tracked by counter-terrorist organizations as an emerging terrorist threat globally. Misogynist terrorism is commonly called misogynistic extremism or male supremacist terrorism as well.
Often, misogynist terrorists target representatives or stand-ins for a type of person that they feel hostility towards. For instance, some attacks have been motivated by a perception of entitlement (which is not fulfilled) to sexual intercourse with women of a type that the terrorist finds attractive. A number of misogynist terrorists who have been motivated largely or solely by lack of sexual success with women in their personal lives have identified with the "incel" (lit.'involuntary celibate') community, which also antagonizes men who do not have problems in engaging in romantic or sexual relationships with women.
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 faced by men 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 towards women
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 has 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]
Male supremacism
In some attacks or threats of terrorism, the perpetrator has described a 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 was canceled.[14] The ICCT argues that the Hanau terrorist attack should be understood as motivated by male supremacism, despite the perpetrator sharing some beliefs of incels.[15]
Proving masculinity
Valenti writes that some misogynist terrorists have been motivated by a desire to live up to the stereotype that "real men" are powerful.[16]
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]
Spreading fear among women
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 a desire to target women of a particular type, either as revenge for perceived slights or because of a perceived connection between the targeted women and 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.[17]: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.[18]
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.[19]
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.[16]
↑ 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]
↑ 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.
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. ISBN978-1728236247. OCLC1125958377.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
↑ 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.
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. ISBN978-1728236247. OCLC1125958377.
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