‘Toxic masculinity' on rise with most young women scared of men their age

Telegraph

04-03-2025

Most young women are scared of men their age, according to a poll which reveals the impact of so-called 'toxic masculinity' on the sexes.
Nearly two-thirds of women aged 18 to 24 are living in fear of their male peers, research by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) found.
With International Women's Day on Saturday, a Whitestone Insight survey commissioned by the think tank found that 62 per cent of young women believe most young men are 'pretty frightening'.
More than two-fifths of young men (41 per cent) agree with their female counterparts.
The finding features in Lost Boys, a study published by the CSJ that details the plight of Britain's boys and young men.
Not only are males now falling behind females in education and the workplace, but they are also increasingly viewed with suspicion by women.
'Angry men is a disaster'
The report warns: 'A generation of unhappy and angry men is a disaster for both the sexes.'
So-called 'toxic masculinity' has been fuelled by misogynists such as Andrew Tate and follows a surge in violence against women and girls (VAWG), with cases of stalking, harassment, sexual assault and domestic violence up 37 per cent over the past five years.
Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to halve VAWG in a decade as part of the Government's response to the 2021 murders of Sabina Nessa, 28, and Sarah Everard, 33.
The research suggests that an 'epidemic of family breakdown' has meant 'millions of boys are deprived of any positive model of manhood', with both men and women agreeing that 'fatherlessness' is a principal cause of behavioural problems.
Across the country, 2.5 million children have no father figure at home, representing almost one in five of all dependent children.
Not only are men far more likely to carry out violent offences and have a much higher chance of belonging to gangs and being criminally exploited if they don't have a male role model at home, they are also more prone to attack their mothers.
The report identifies that Child and Adolescent to Parent Violence and Abuse (CAPVA) abuse is prevalent in almost 20 per cent of single parent homes. Research from the London Violence Reduction Unit shows that 81 per cent of perpetrators are male.
Women make up the majority of victims (69 per cent) because of the predominance of single mothers. CAPVA often peaks during adolescence, with two-thirds of incidents attributed to young men aged 19 to 25, a third to those aged 15 to 18, and one per cent from those aged 12 to 14.
The report adds: 'If we are going to reverse the alarming phenomenon of CAPVA, we must deal with the complex interconnecting issues of family breakdown, behavioural difficulties and, in many cases, a sub-culture of male youth violence. Before becoming perpetrators, these boys were often young victims.
'This is another reason why finding the Lost Boys is so key: it is for the mothers, sisters and grandmothers, too.'
The study also expressed concern at the diminishment of traditional masculinity in the media and society.
Courage no longer valued
More than four in 10 of the public, 43 per cent, say that traditional masculine values such as courage, resilience and competitiveness are not valued by society.
Half of young men believe that the media are too negative, with men being 'too often' shown as 'a bit pathetic'.
Pornography is another reason for the damage done to the relationship between the sexes. A clear majority (60 per cent) believe that porn is undermining relationships. This increases to two-thirds when asking young people.
Andy Cook, chief executive of the Centre for Social Justice, said: 'We have been so careless in our downgrading of the traditional masculine virtues that we are in danger of leaving a whole generation behind.
'Restoring the hope that has been lost among boys and young men is not to undermine girls and young women, rather it will restore trust and overcome this terrible sense of fear that is so corrosive.'