Switzerland holds national conference on dangers of the ‘manosphere’

A national conference to gain a better understanding of masculinism Keystone-SDA

A recent study shows that in Switzerland, one in five men subscribe to a concept of masculinity based on domination. A national conference in Bern on Monday aims to gain a better understanding of the phenomenon.

The findings of the study published in June by the University of Zurich and the mencare/männer.ch association show that 20% of the men surveyed and 7% of the women surveyed subscribe to the idea of masculinity based on domination. The “M-factor”, as measured in the study, refers to a set of attitudes encompassing various restrictive conceptions of masculinity and gender relations.

The concept is associated with claims of male superiority, a propensity for violence, misogyny, contempt for sexual minorities and a rejection of equality. The phenomenon particularly affects young men. Half of men aged 18 to 24 are concerned about the growing marginalisation of “real men” in society. And nearly one in three men in this age group belongs to the group with the highest scores.

“A young person in the process of forming their identity will be affected, destabilised and influenced by this worldview,” says Gilles Crettenand, head of mencare/männer.ch in French-speaking Switzerland, in an interview with Keystone-ATS news agency.

A national conference

To tackle this phenomenon, Switzerland is seeking to coordinate its efforts. A national conference entitled “Beware the Manosphere!”, aimed at specialists and networking, took place on Monday in Bern. It was opened by minister Beat Jans, head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police, alongside parliamentarians (Zurich) and Nathalie Fontanet (Geneva).

The aim of the conference is to create a shared knowledge base and to disseminate information that will enable a better understanding of the scope and dynamics of male-centred violence and radicalisation. To this end, practitioners, experts and representatives from the government, the cantons and municipalities will exchange their experiences and knowledge by pooling their expertise. National collaboration is essential, emphasises Crettenand.

“Changing social gender norms involves many factors. We need to work on all levels simultaneously,” he notes. He highlights the various areas of focus: prevention and health promotion (particularly in schools) and security (in collaboration with the police). “These areas are complementary, so we need to forge links and develop a network of expertise,” adds Crettenand.

Tools to prevent abuse

The Men and Masculinities Centre of Expertise also organises training courses for professionals in the health, social care, education and security sectors. The canton of Zurich has been very active in this area. Geneva and the French-speaking cantons are beginning to allocate funds for action programmes, such as in Vaud, for example.

He emphasises the need to inform and train parents and teachers, as well as those directly affected including pupils, both girls and boys. “The more we equip them with the tools to analyse information – through critical thinking, and by developing psychosocial and interpersonal skills – the less vulnerable they will be to this kind of language, behaviour and subsequent misconduct,” argues Crettenand.

Crettenand is delighted that interventions in schools aimed at young people are becoming increasingly common. “We need to roll out this action plan in as many cantons as possible, because that is the only way it will be truly effective,” he concludes.

+ How we produce news in English
Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist. 

Prefer Swissinfo on Google

See more Swissinfo articles in your Google results. Learn more

Close