Misogyny, Himpathy and Cathartic Shaming – Exploring Content With and About Sexualized Violence in the Danish Manosphere

Research shows how sexualized violence is moving online and becoming digitalized; however, little is known about the relationship between the manosphere and sexualized violence. This paper aims to explore how content with and about sexualized violence manifests in the Danish manosphere and advance our understanding of conditions conducive to this. Based on a (n)etnographic study in the Danish manosphere, the paper shows that content with and about sexualized violence is present in two ways: Firstly, in leak communities, where sharing sexual imagery of women without consent seems governed by a feeling rule of misogyny. Secondly, in men’s rights communities where critique of #MeToo and the consent-based rape law seems governed by a feeling rule of himpathy. With the concept cathartic shaming the paper suggests how distinct communities may share the use of ridicule and condemnation of women to reduce feelings of humiliation, shame, injustice and unfairness rooted in social expectations about hegemonic, heterosexual masculinity.