23/03/2026
Chris English
By Aimee Howard (nee Hallas).
The Manosphere documentary by Louis Theroux is both shocking and enlightening, exposing the scale of misogyny and online influence that I had not fully appreciated before. Louis introduces us to men, all influencers, who make money exploiting and humiliating women. They also spread hatred, misogyny, and conspiracy theories. All of this is in the pursuit of power, fame, status, and to obtain more likes. There was a clear disregard for those caught up in their online activity, acknowledging their rejection of morality in favour of financial gain.
This toxic masculinity is underpinned by beliefs about state control, the elite, power imbalances, and the role of men and women in society. There are also antisemitic and misogynistic undertones throughout. Although at times I struggled to identify positive qualities amongst the influencers, there were also moments of vulnerability and self-doubt, which suggested their capacity for change.
The influencers were skilled at attracting followers online, perhaps appealing to vulnerable young people looking for a sense of belonging, whilst seeking validation themselves, which provides scope for intervention work. In addition, the type of content posted by the influencers: controversial, shocking, and salacious, no doubt also led to their success online.
The women connected to the males in question looked vulnerable and disempowered, struggling to voice their opinions, perhaps in fear of repercussions.
From an intervention perspective, it could be argued that these types of behaviours are too entrenched to tackle. However, in my experience of managing men with misogynistic views, completing lifeline exercises provides insight and lays the foundations for further work. The documentary touches upon the personal histories of each of the influencers, highlighting childhood attachment issues, which may help to explain their behaviours, without justifying them. Exploring childhood experiences and unresolved trauma is a key exercise to complete with individuals who display such views, to understand where their attitudes and beliefs stem from.
Interventions in Probation such as IDAP (Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme) have been replaced with Building Better Relationships, moving away from labelling approaches to strength-based intervention. These programmes target domestic violence, although this was a feature of the relationships exposed in the documentary, the wider issues of misogyny, antisemitism, and discriminatory attitudes may be better addressed through one-to-one interventions. In my experience of working with similar individuals, a balance of gentle challenge and exploration, whilst developing discrepancies, proved more effective than interventions that focused solely on their deficits.
I once supervised a male who had entrenched beliefs about male and female roles in society and his offences were born out of power and control. A home visit proved insightful when I saw his interactions with his mother, who appeared cold and controlling. His quiet compliance around his mother was in stark contrast to his dominance with his partner and female staff. His offences were assessed as an attempt at re-addressing the unequal power imbalance in his relationship with his mother.
The influencers featured in the documentary clearly had strengths such as a strong desire for a family life and business acumen. Exploration of how these positive attributes can be used in a legitimate way, is strength-based and supports progression. For example, I worked with a man
who was adept at organising and planning as part of his involvement in the supply of Class A drugs. We explored how these skills could be re-directed in a pro-social manner.
Watching the documentary also highlighted the need for probation officers and other practitioners on the frontline to access regular clinical supervision. It is easy to forget how much we absorb, from what we hear, see and encounter. An average probation officer will see between 4-8 cases a day, so time to decompress and reflect is critical. Hearing this type of mantra day in and day out can cause a certain level of desensitisation. Therefore, it is important for practitioners to not lose sight of presenting risk issues, the victims online and offline, and the wider safeguarding implications.
As the credits rolled, I thought about the impact of these influencers on Gen Z and Generation Alpha. The ease of viewing such content on TikTok is hugely concerning, given that it indoctrinates and brainwashes young men and women. This informs the debate surrounding the proposed social media ban for young people under 16. It made me long for simpler times, a world before the internet and social media, where this type of content was not spread so easily.
The Government’s “Violence Against Women and Girls’ Strategy (VAWG) 2025” is a positive step forward, focusing on early intervention and prevention, but critics argue it has not gone far enough with concerns about funding and lack of joined-up interventions.
For practitioners working with individuals who have not offended but are displaying similar beliefs, exploration of their attitudes, via preventative work is essential. This could involve one to one discussion, mentoring work and workshops exploring healthy masculinity and safer relationships. Where there are safeguarding concerns, referrals to external agencies to support individuals at risk of exploitation or online recruitment is essential.
Certainly, social media platforms need to step up and take some responsibility rather than profiteering from harmful content. It would also be powerful to hear from people with lived experience who have successfully navigated themselves away from these challenges, who can provide a pro-social rhetoric and advice on positive pathways.