The rise of high-profile manosphere influencers in the UK and US is masking a deeper, darker global problem of online misogyny, according to a new analysis. While figures like HStikkytokky and Myron Gaines attract media attention for their degrading views, the real crisis lies in the widespread abuse, threats and sexualisation of women and girls that goes largely unreported.
Women in public roles—politicians, journalists, activists—are particularly vulnerable to online harassment, which forces many to withdraw from digital spaces or develop a 'thicker skin'. This silencing of women threatens democracy itself. In Ethiopia, female feminists and those with an online profile have faced intense abuse campaigns, including death threats, with some forced to flee the country.
Africa has its own burgeoning manosphere, and activists are calling for urgent action to address digital violence. Most countries rely on existing cybercrime laws to prosecute the few cases that are acted on, but legislation specifically targeting gendered abuse is needed. The crisis demands robust responses from lawmakers, tech companies and researchers.
The analysis comes as the war in Sudan enters its fourth year, with the UN’s top official calling efforts to end the conflict 'bloody unacceptable'. Meanwhile, a key vote on slave trade reparations is expected, and the International Journalism Festival in Perugia is discussing how news coverage can fight violence against women.
