Friends counter misogyny in schools
'8: Age at which boys become aware of the social media influencer Andrew Tate.'
Quakers held an event earlier this week to find ways of countering the rise of misogynistic social media influencers such as Andrew Tate. Tate is linked to a rising number reports of misogynistic incidents in UK schools.
Called ‘Misogyny: Aggressive social media and schoolchildren’, the event on 25 May at the UN Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice Commission showcased practical approaches intended to ‘resist the impact of the influencers through conflict resolution and peace education’. Malign internet influence can lead to ‘verbal assaults, physical violence and crime’, said Friends Worldwide Committee for Consultation (FWCC), which hosted the event.
One small Rotherham-based charity, Diversify, told The Guardian that it receives about twenty-five calls a week from schools across England that want help dealing with sexual harassment and ‘shocking misogynistic incidents’, with many citing the influence of Andrew Tate. The charity runs school workshops about inclusion. Campaigners say that boys as young as eight are aware of Andrew Tate, whose TikTok videos tell boys that: a woman belongs to her boyfriend; girls who don’t stay at home are ‘hoes’; and rape victims must ‘bear responsibility’ for their attacks.
Andrew Tate is currently under house arrest in Romania for suspected human trafficking and organised crime.
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