Sexual violence concepts launched online are spilling into the real world – harming women and young men and overwhelming counselors

Andrew Tate, a self-described misogynist and an online influencer with millions of followers, faces charges in several countries of allegedly causing physical harm, including rape and sex-trafficking women and girls.

Tate is a prominent figure in the manosphere, a loosely connected network of online forums and sites united by beliefs in male supremacy. This messaging has increasingly moved to mainstream platforms, as social media algorithms on sites like YouTube and TikTok steer young men and boys toward manosphere content sometimes within minutes of opening an account.

Tate’s behaviors are an extreme example of manosphere ideologies spilling into the physical world, harming women as well as the men and boys taken in by the messaging.

The growth of the manosphere has been attributed to backlash toward the #MeToo Movement, which encouraged women to speak up about sexual violence. There is also evidence that increased isolation and time spent online during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to many men finding these communities.

Nearly half of U.S. women experience unwanted sexual contact in their lifetimes, and 1 in 5 experience attempted rape or rape.

Some countries are taking initiative to curb sexually violent content online. For instance, the U.K. in 2026 implemented several guidelines for social media companies to reduce the spread of misogynistic and sexually violent content to young men and boys. But U.S. federal and state legislation is not keeping up.

As social scientists in social work and psychology, we study the ways sexual violence and masculinities intersect with digital technologies. The growth and cultural salience of manosphere communities have made them increasingly relevant to the work we do.