School Violence Shows How Misogyny Can Warp Young Minds

---

 


As Malaysia grapples with violent incidents in schools, experts warn that the problem goes far beyond bullying or discipline.
They cautioned that disturbing behavioural trends are beginning to surface among the youth and, if left unchecked, could have dire consequences.
One such trend that has caught public attention after the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen at a school in Bandar Utama is the “incel” online subculture.
It is important to note that while initial speculation about the murder led some to conclude that it was incel related, there has been no definitive evidence to support such claims, and the incel narrative is being disputed.
Incel, short for involuntarily celibate, refers to an online subculture of mostly heterosexual men who express resentment or anger over their perceived inability to form romantic or sexual relationships.
It is also often used as one of several catch-all terms for males who display misogynistic attitudes and behaviour online, or commit violence against women.
Speaking to Malaysiakini, child psychologist Noor Aishah Rosli said adolescents who commit violent acts, especially toward peers or women, often struggle with deep feelings of rejection, anger, or powerlessness.
She claimed that when those emotions are reinforced by online messages that glorify dominance or violence, some begin to see aggression as a way to prove strength or regain control.
“Exposure to misogynistic or violent online content can distort adolescents’ understanding of relationships, empathy, and respect. During this stage, their brains are still developing impulse control and moral reasoning.
“Constant exposure to such content can normalise aggression, desensitise them to others’ pain, and reinforce harmful gender beliefs that make violence seem acceptable or even justified,” she explained.
Misogyny runs deeper than online trends
Noor advised being alert to early warning signs that could lead young men down this spiral, which include sudden withdrawals, increased anger or irritability, fixation on violent or misogynistic content, or making hateful or demeaning remarks toward women.
Child psychologist Noor Aishah Rosli“A lack of empathy, fascination with weapons, or expressing that ‘violence is justified’ are also red flags that warrant early intervention and open conversation,” she said.
While there is currently no data on the prevalence of Malaysian youths who identify with incels, misogynistic attitudes are widespread - even among women.
A demographically representative survey conducted by the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) in 2021 that engaged 510 men and 490 women, found that more than 55 percent of Malaysian men and 42 percent of women agreed to statements blaming women for being raped.
The survey also found that 10.8 percent of men found it acceptable to joke about violence against women, while 19.6 percent said they were complicit in such situations. The number of women who condone such behaviour was below eight percent.
Further, the findings indicated that Malaysians aged 35 and above were almost twice as likely to minimise violence against women compared to those aged 18 to 24.
The pervasiveness of such harmful beliefs was further highlighted in another recent school-related case, where a 15-year-old girl in Malacca was gang raped by her seniors, with some initially mischaracterising it as a case of consensual sex being reported as statutory rape.
Munira Mustaffa, executive director of Chasseur Group, said that while politicians are quick to call for solutions to school violence, many perpetuate the same misogynistic attitudes contributing to the problem.
“I think you've noticed that even our ministers are guilty of perpetuating the usual misogynistic tropes or comments, and that’s the kind of thing that we need to lower our tolerance for,” she said.
Munira Mustaffa, executive director of Chasseur GroupCensorship won’t fix deeper issues
But it's not just society that is to blame, she noted.
She said that presently, young men are being thrown into a pessimistic slump as they struggle to find their place in a society that is rapidly changing, both economically and socially.
“With the advent of AI, I think the pessimistic slump is going to worsen because you're going to have a lot of young people who went to school, but they can't really quite apply themselves after that because nobody seems to know what's going to happen next,” she commented.
However, such feelings are not exclusive to Malaysia, and the rise of misogyny is a worldwide phenomenon, being amplified by the “manosphere”.
This is a network of communities where men share their struggles online, ranging from fitness to fatherhood, as well as insights on approaching women.
Here, a young boy seeking advice on how to approach girls may end up exposed to harmful behaviours and attitudes towards women and girls.
Such toxic content is one of the reasons why the government is proposing to ban social media access to 16-year-olds and even restrict smartphones to curb violence in school.
However, Munira warned that censorship would only be treating symptoms, without addressing the cause.
She pointed out the importance of understanding the market for misogynistic content, calling attention to the perpetrators who are “selling” this negative messaging.
“I’m aware of people wanting to do censorship, but you see, we need to understand the information ecosystem. They're selling it because there is a market for it. If we do not address that market, we cannot fix the problem.
“We cannot fix it with censorship. We cannot fix it by banning weapons from school or doing spot checks.
“It’s not helpful when you want to apply different kinds of strategies without actually understanding the problem and understanding what we’re dealing with,” she added.
Redefining masculinity through empathy, care
Besides censorship, another method gaining support among politicians to instil discipline and correct behaviour among students is caning.
Vice-president and co-founder of the Society for Equality, Respect, and Trust for All (Serata), Robert Nicholas Hii, however, said that when it comes to rising misogyny in schools, the real solution lies in strengthening parental involvement and redefining masculinity in healthier, more nurturing terms.
He noted that society often associates masculinity with physical strength or aggression, but positive masculinity should instead highlight qualities such as protective care, presence, service, and partnership.
“By being present, we can nurture our children and prevent others from replacing our role in that relationship. By having equal parents, we cover more bases and experiences, becoming the definitive lens of parenting that we should be.
“We must create safe spaces for our children to learn, so that they are convinced that violence is never the answer,” he said.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Loh, a digital communications lecturer from Monash University, said the education system needs to adopt discussions on gender and accountability, especially for younger students.
“A lot of the content children are exposed to is literally very anti-feminist. Right now, our schools, especially at the primary and lower secondary levels, don’t really include specific education on these issues.
“That kind of education is very necessary, especially now when children get exposed to unfiltered and unchecked content from such a young age,” Loh said. - Mkini

---