Turning tide?

"Young men are in crisis - and nobody seems to care," reads one headline. "The West's lost boys," cries another. It is described as the "modern male struggle" and a "crisis of manhood."

Behold, the victims of Andrew Tate: men. To some, it is a confusing conclusion to draw from a story in which the alleged victims are women.¹ But many are worried that men are being radicalised by social media.

Tate, who has been arrested on charges of sexual trafficking and rape, became famous for lengthy misogynisticStrong and deeply ingrained prejudice against women.  rants which have millions of views across various social media platforms.²

Across the UK, schools have made an effort to educate their students about just how dangerous Tate's views are. The focus is on young male pupils who may have been particularly susceptibleLikely to be influenced easily. to his message.

But why are we not hearing about Tate's effect on women? After all, it is women, not men, who Tate is accused of trafficking, raping and physically assaulting.

"We have become accustomed to leaving them out of the narrativeAn account of connected events; a story.," said one specialist.

But now, some are calling for a cultural shift. The justice system is a key starting point. According to the charity Rape Crisis UK, only one in 100 rapes were reported to the police and resulted in a charge in 2021.

Some suggest making misogyny into a hate crime. This would allow police to record when crimes against women were motivated by their gender. It could encourage them to take gender-based violence more seriously and empower victims to report their experiences.

Some caution against adding fuel to the idea that feminism is not really about equality. Making violence against women a hate crime, and not violence against men, could imply that the law protects women more.

Yes: We need to do everything we can to ensure that women's issues are taken seriously. Making misogyny into a hate crime would acknowledge the ways in which women are still marginalised and offer support.

No: It is clear that misogyny is endemicCommon to a particular place or community. in the legal system. It is not fair that only 2% of allegations lead to prosecutions. Making misogyny into a hate crime would not fix this issue. First and foremost, women need a safe and fair place to report sexual violence.

Or... We should explore a range of alternative justice options. Some fear making violence against women but not men a hate crime could ultimately lead to more misogynistic views.