New episode of the sexual violence research podcast explores how male supremacism fuels gender-based violence

The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) — a MenEngage Alliance global board member — has released a powerful new episode of The Sexual Violence Research Podcast, exploring how male supremacism — the belief system that positions men as inherently more important, more valuable, or more deserving of power than women — creates the conditions in which violence against women, non-binary people, and LGBTIQ communities becomes more likely, more tolerated, and more readily excused.

In this thought-provoking episode, host Ayesha Mago, SVRI​’s Global Advocacy Director, speaks with two leading voices:

• Alex DiBranco, Executive Director & Co-Founder of the Institute for Research on Male Supremacism
• Soraya Chemaly, award-winning Bahamian-American activist, feminist and author of Rage Becomes Her: The Power of Women’s Anger & All We Want is Everything: How We Dismantle Male Supremacy 

Together, they unpack how male-supremacist ideas take root, how they show up in the lives of men and boys long before they encounter extremist spaces, why confronting this belief system is essential for preventing gender-based violence, and how they intersect with race, class, sexuality and colonial histories. Furthermore, as Alex DiBranco points out, male-supremacist ideology can create a shared foundation that pulls together groups that otherwise appear politically opposed — for example, conservative Christian organisations and some self-identified feminists who hold biologically essentialist views aligning around anti-trans agendas using the language of protecting women. 

Key themes explored in the episode include:

• How everyday norms, cultural messages and institutions reinforce male-supremacist ideas — often long before men and boys may encounter extremist spaces. 
  
• The role of race, class, sexuality, and colonial legacies in shaping male-supremacist ideology
  
• How male supremacism interacts with other forms of supremacy, and how gendered abuse is used as a tool of systemic power across institutions.
  
• What practitioners and policymakers can do to respond to harm and strengthen their prevention efforts.

Crucially, the episode highlights that male supremacism is nothing new, nor is it confined to fringe online groups. Instead, it is embedded in long-standing social and cultural norms that position men as inherently superior, and if these ideas harden, can fuel male-supremacist movements and the spreading of online misogyny and hate. 

“We see supremacism as built on dehumanization and entitlement,” says Alex DiBranco, ​“the dehumanization of others, the belief that they are less than, and then the entitlement of the ingroup to believe that they are superior, entitlement to other people’s bodies, entitlement to commit violence. And so, when we see this occurring, it underpins sexual harassment, authoritarian regimes that are built on the concept that consent and autonomy don’t matter and it may manifest in different ways in different regions.”

Revealing how online spaces can fuel male supremacist beliefs, Soraya Chemaly notes: ​“As boys and men enter manosphere pipelines they are so successful because it’s emotionally resonant. It’s not that the information they’re hearing is so transgressive, it is that it is almost a relief I think because they’re experiencing a lot of cognitive dissonance between what mainstream cultures are telling them, what religions are telling them and what their parents might be conveying to them and information that’s saying this is not good. Feminism is saying X, people fighting white supremacy are saying Y.  All of the information they’re getting that threatens their identity kind of fades away in the manosphere, which confirms the male supremacist world view.”

The Sexual Violence Research podcast a series of open and frank conversations with the SVRI​’s expert network of global leaders, each bringing unique insight as they delve into the issues, challenges and successes they encounter as they work towards their collective vision — a world free from violence driven by gender inequality. 

Hosted by Elizabeth Dartnall, SVRI Executive Director, and Global Advocacy Director, Ayesha Mago, the podcast demystifies and brings new thinking to the gender-based violence world. Bringing together guests from a diverse range of disciplines and cultures to interrogate existing practices and ideologies, share expertise and spotlight innovation around the world, the podcast seeks to increase understanding of how meaningful and lasting change can be brought to the lives of women, children, and others facing violence stemming from inequality, in a complex and ever changing landscape. 

The Sexual Violence Research Podcast can be found on the major podcast platforms, Apple and Spotify as well as at svri​.org