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Stochastic Gender-Based Violence: How Incels Justify and Encourage Sexualized Violence Against Women.
Meghan Gosse1, Michael Halpin1, Finlay Maguire2
1Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Violence Against Women
|September 16, 2024
Summary
Involuntarily celibate (incel) communities justify sexual violence against women by misinterpreting gender relations and misusing science. They frame sexual assault as revenge, creating a culture of stochastic gender-based violence.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Criminology
- Gender Studies
Background:
- The online community of involuntarily celibate men (incels) has been linked to real-world violence.
- Understanding the rhetoric used by incels is crucial for addressing gender-based violence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the justifications incels use for gender-based and sexualized violence against women.
- To explore the connection between incel ideology, perceptions of gender relations, and violence.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 22,060 discussion board comments from incel communities.
- Qualitative content analysis to identify patterns in justifications for violence.
Main Results:
- Incel justifications for sexualized violence are rooted in their views on gender relations.
- Sexual assault is framed as revenge for perceived societal slights and incel status.
- Incels selectively use and misinterpret scientific concepts to legitimize sexual violence, suggesting women derive pleasure from it.
Conclusions:
- Incel communities foster a climate of "stochastic gender-based violence," where violence is encouraged and justified.
- Findings contribute to understanding rape culture, masculinities, and the need for targeted policy interventions.
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