Received from: TUC Women's Conference
Conference recognises the publication of the National Police Chiefs Council’s report on violence against women and girls (VAWG) and its description of online influencers driving misogyny.
Conference also recognises the 37 per cent rise in VAWG-related crimes between 2018/19 and 2022/23. These crimes are becoming more complex and proliferated, with online incidents of harassment, revenge porn and stalking becoming more common.
Conference recognises that some online influencers are increasingly producing harmful content. Alleged sex trafficker and rapist Andrew Tate has been increasingly cited as an influencer, with his content easily accessible online and unrestricted on platforms.
Conference is concerned about the rise of the ‘incel’ movement in the UK. The term ‘incel’ stands for ‘involuntary celibate’, who are primarily men, who struggle to form romantic or sexual relationships despite wanting to. The movement is an online subculture where misogyny is promoted by individuals who blame women for their lack of sexual activity.
Conference acknowledges that the incel movement has been linked to several high-profile incidents of violence in the UK and globally. Further almost 1,000 references to dehumanising misogyny or violent action against women are recorded each day in the ‘incelosphere’.
Conferenced notes a large rise in the number of young men referred to the prevent scheme over the women-hating incel ideology resulting in it being described as an ‘emerging risk’.
Conference notes with concern that much of the political dialogue running up to the general election last year moved further to the right and that whilst the Tories may have lost the general election, this was in part because their vote was split by traditional Conservatives and the emboldened far right in the shape of the Reform Party.
The far-right riots in this country and the rise of the far right across the globe are a concern for female trade unionists because a covenant of the far-right ethos is ‘a woman’s place is in the home’.
Old-fashioned views are setting back in. Women are openly mocked in the workplace, rights to abortion are under constant attack and sexual harassment is still prevalent.
Conference notes that:
i. right-wing ideology is directly fuelling racism, misogyny, and hatred across the country
ii. 2024 Police Chiefs’ Council reported, two million women a year are victims of male violence
iii. the impacts of misogynoir faced by Black women
iv. the rise of the Incel movement and its appeal to young men
v. too often gender stereotyping is still prevalent in all sectors, including in the creative industries.
Conference commends government plans to introduce peer-to-peer influencers in schools to help counter the misogynistic content presented to young males online.
Trade unionists must lead with education and have important conversations with fellow employees to make them aware that misogyny and the far right go hand in hand.
Conference calls on the TUC:
a. to raise awareness of the incel ideology and the dangers it presents to women and girls
b. Women’s Committee to continue to campaign against sexual stereotyping in all its forms
c. to call on members to monitor the extent and influence of incel/misogynist ideology in UK workplaces and communities
d. to formulate recommendations to challenge misogynist/incel culture in workplaces, and communities
e. to lobby the Labour government to add misogyny to the definition of hate crimes
f. develop strategies to counter the widespread escalation of misogyny on social media platforms
g. campaign for the implementation of stronger regulation to ensure misogynistic content or content/users that encourage VAWG are banned from social media platforms in the UK.
h. lobby government to provide the necessary resources and guidance to support schools to play their part in tackling misogyny, misogynoir and VAWG.
i. invite a speaker from one of the organisations who specifically tackle incel culture and violence, such as Hope Not Hate, Refuge or the NSPCC to address the 2026 TUC Women’s Conference
j. to enable and support TU Representatives to produce recommendations that challenge current portrayals of women in media images and combat stereotypical storytelling of women’s lives
k. affiliates to share and discuss the report commissioned by TUC Black Women and Sexual Harassment Advisory Group on the sexual harassment experienced by Black Women and to take action to address this
l. assist with sharing best practice on the production of guidelines and talking points that reps can use to counter misogyny in the workplace
m. support the work of the NUJ in educating and supporting journalists and communications professionals to improve the ethical and accurate reporting and portrayal of women.
TUC Women’s Conference