4 ways to tackle misogyny among young people

This International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Alice Hoddinott, an Education and Wellbeing Specialist at Brook talks about her experience teaching about gender in schools and 4 ways we can tackle misogyny among young people.

I began teaching Relationships and Sex Education during the rise of influencers like Andrew Tate – a scary time to be talking to people in their formative years about gender identity, equity and equality!  

Many young people I have come across in schools have strong views around gender – “trans people don’t exist”, “women aren’t as strong as men”, “men are (and should be) superior” – and when asked about these views, the response is always the same – “oh it’s just banter Miss.”  

Despite feigning humour, many of these young people are uneasy about having the conversation about why these views, or jokes, are harmful and how they contribute to a world where Femicide is rife and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) has been declared a national emergency. 

We know misogyny in UK secondary schools is rising at an alarming rate.

At Brook we receive enquiries for support from teachers regularly about derogatory comments they hear in the playground, concerns about violent bullying and cases of sexual harassment. 

In 2021, the Ofsted Review of Sexual Abuse in Schools and Colleges revealed that 90% of girls and nearly 50% of boys had experienced sexist name-calling, unwanted sexual comments, or unwanted touching in school settings. The findings led to urgent calls for reform, with the Education Secretary describing the situation as “deeply concerning.” 

Recent reports show that misogynistic behaviours, including sharing explicit content without consent, are becoming normalised among secondary school students. In 2022, Everyone’s Invited, an initiative which invited students to anonymously report experiences of sexual harassment, was launched and over 15,000 allegations were received, painting a worrying picture of the environment in many schools. 

Why is misogyny on the rise?  

Social media plays a significant role in spreading these misogynistic attitudes.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are not only prevalent among teenagers but also provide a space for the spread of harmful ideologies. Influencers and content creators, sometimes aligned with far-right groups, have exploited these platforms to promote regressive gender roles and victim-blaming narratives. 

A study by Girlguiding found that 71% of girls aged 11 to 21 believe sexism is common on social media, with 35% experiencing harassment themselves. Social media platforms are covered in content that glamorises toxic masculinity and objectifies women, making misogynistic behaviours seem more acceptable to not only express, but to endure too. 

We also see VAWG reflected in wider society.  In 2022, the Office for National Statistics revealed that over 1.6 million women had experienced domestic abuse in that one year, and, at present, a woman is killed by a man once every 3 days in the UK; many of these murders occur at the hands of a current or former partner.  

We see our police officers, our politicians, our sports superstars and global musicians all taking part in this behaviour and not being punished for it – if these are the role models young people are to look up to then no wonder they aren’t taking the issue seriously and we are seeing more openly harmful attitudes. 

How do we tackle misogyny among young people?  

1 . Challenge the opinion, not the person 

If we are meeting young people who have these views, it’s important we don’t approach them with hostility and defence which can make things feel like an attack on who they are. Instead, focus on the viewpoint – What does it mean and why does it connect to that person? Where did they find that information and do they think its reliable/accurate? Get them to consider how that viewpoint might feel to someone else? 

2 . Encourage active bystanders 

When we hear and see people being misogynistic or perpetuating harmful ideas about gender, we can step up and change the narrative. Talk to young people about how they can respond if they hear or see something misogynistic, whether that’s online or in person.  

Brook’s 5 Ds can help guide the conversation: 

• Direct – Being direct involves calling a friend out for saying something misogynistic – a simple “that’s not okay”- goes a long way. As their friend, they’re more likely to listen to you.  
• Distract – Distraction involves starting a new conversation or asking an unrelated question to change the topic of conversation.  
• Delegate – You can delegate by asking for help from a teacher, parent/carer or another trusted adult and letting them know what you’ve seen or heard.  
• Delay – If you witness misogynistic behaviour towards someone but don’t feel you can safely intervene, you could delay your response and approach the person the next day or send a message to see if they’re okay and ask if they need any help.  
• Disapprove – If you’re in a group and some of your friends are having “banter” about girls, you could show disapproval by shaking your head or even walking away to show them that what they are talking about is inappropriate. 

3 . Educate yourself and others 

Being familiar with the current landscape and the history of misogyny is a great place to start.

Be up to date on current issues you might hear young people talking about – there’s always an influencer or a buzzword that is prevalent for them so meeting them where they’re at helps to talk about these issues in a way that will resonate for them.  

4 . Encourage positive male role models 

A powerful way to shift mindsets and cultures is to see active, inspirational examples of what we want to be. There are so many amazing positive male role models boys and young men can look up to who not only tackle misogyny but also support BYM with health, self-esteem and life building. 

Here’s a list of positive male role models on social media that Natasha Devon MBE (Instagram: @_NatashaDevon) shared with us:  

• @byalexholmes – A young therapist who focusses on how men discuss mental health; 
• @theyoungimam – Tells young Muslim boys what the Quran *actually* says about women (that they should be respected). NB: Andrew Tate claims to have converted to Islam. 
• @bdccarpenter – Busts myths about ‘health’ and fitness aimed at boys and men 
• @Michaelulloapt – Male body positivity – Fitness without the toxicity 
• @david_robert_grimes – Science writer who promotes scientific literacy when assessing the claims about health made on social media. 
• @TheOneArmedWonder – disability activist and former soldier who talks about avoiding toxic masculinity. 
• @DavidLarbi – writer, creator and musician from London.

Make your Campus safer

Brook’s Bystander Intervention course for Universities teaches the 5D’s within university scenarios so your students know how to respond to incidents of sexual harassment and violence.

Find out more about Bystander Intervention