Goldfields youth ‘more at risk’ to manosphere culture, women’s refuge chief says

Goldfields youth are more at risk of being swept into incel and “manosphere” cultures because of the region’s isolation, Goldfields Women’s Refuge’s chief executive says.

Suzie Williams is calling on “good men” to stand up against misogynistic ideologies being pushed by some influencers, and to be positive role models for the younger generation who may be susceptible to following the crowd.

It comes as a recent Netflix documentary, Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere, shone a spotlight on influencers who work to sell a “real man” ideology focused on fitness, wealth generation, and strict gender roles.

Ms Williams said the local refuge was gearing up for an increase in demand for its services “given the way the world is going”, and believed this movement, combined with cost-of-living increases, created scary times ahead for vulnerable women and children.

She said physical violence was extremely concerning but equally concerning were the calls to reduce women’s rights.

“You would have seen all over the media that Gen Z is the first generation that’s actually less progressive than their forefathers,” she said.

“There is a real push from the algorithm for women to return to a 1950s ideal, which is not good for women, and it’s not good for children.

“They’re openly saying that women shouldn’t have the vote — they’re talking about silencing 51 per cent of their population, it’s absolutely horrific.

“I never thought in my lifetime I would ever see a push to take the vote off women, especially after seeing how good society has become by including women in conversations.”

While some argue the manosphere is a push back to the feminist movement, Ms Williams said she believed it all boiled down to male greed.

“There’s been discussions about whether this is the last throes of patriarchy in general and I would love to say that I agree with that, but to me, personally, I think it’s about greed and men fleecing other men,” she said.

“You know that saying ‘sex sells’, well, resentment sells more, anger sells more, isolation sells more.

“These men and boys have systematically taken young men, isolated them, made them resentful, given them a target — which is women — and are taking their money and earning millions by breeding hate in the community.”

Youth in the Goldfields, she believes, are more at risk because of there being fewer resources available for youth.

“We are on the front line of that in the Goldfields because the people in our communities, they have TikTok and all this social media, and there are no other voices out there,” she said.

“We are vulnerable here in the Goldfields, more vulnerable than inside the city, because there are a lot more resources for young people to tap into in the city, whereas here, they rely very heavily on an online presence, whether that is social media or in the gaming communities.”

She said that was why it was important men called out inappropriate, dehumanising attitudes, and behaviour towards women — even those that seem like “jokes” or “banter” — particularly to the younger generations.

“I think the majority of men are really good, there’s no doubt in my mind that it’s obviously a bell curve, but those on the bell curve need to know that the people who are making these jokes are not kidding,” she said.

“It might sound funny, but the underlying part of it is dehumanisation of women, so we need men to say in that moment that it’s not appropriate, shut it down, because they won’t listen to women’s voices.

“And we need these men to look at these documentaries and this content to understand the depth of the problem, because . . . I don’t think many men recognise the problem and how serious it is.”

Ms Williams said it was not only women’s lives that were at risk, but also men’s, because the movements created and supported a structure where men could not express their feelings, which could result in male suicide.

“The ultimate male-on male-violence is when they kill themselves,” she said.

“And that’s another expression of male violence that we are trying to stop.

“But we need men to step up and support each other for that, because women can’t fix the mental health of men, men have to.”

She urged good men to “rise up”, be louder than the manosphere, check in with their friends, and be good role models to the younger generations.

“Some child is watching and learning how to be an adult from you, so to stand up against the manosphere is actually a parenting decision,” she said.

“So in everyday life, not necessarily on social media, check in on the boys in your life . . . and strengthen your own male friendships as well.

“Especially if you know someone without a male role model in their life, those who are seeking guidance are extremely susceptible.

“We need to stop this before it goes too far.”

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