Online misogyny, offline consequences: why it matters – and what we can do about it

From everyday harassment on social media to the rise of incel culture and extremist online communities, digital spaces have become a key battleground for gender equality. What happens online doesn’t stay there – the narratives, behaviours and power dynamics playing out on our screens are both shaping and shaped by relationships, workplaces and politics in the real world.

Online misogyny is not a niche problem; it’s a growing cultural force influencing how people, especially young men and boys, see themselves and others. It fuels gendered harassment, normalises violence, and undermines progress towards equality both online and offline. As digital platforms continue to shape our culture and public discourse, understanding and addressing this issue has never been more urgent.

Join the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University for a vital discussion on the rise of online misogyny: why it’s an issue, who it impacts, and how we can prevent it. Our expert panel will unpack the roots and real-world impacts of online misogyny and explore practical solutions for building a safer, more respectful digital world for everyone – from digital literacy and consent education, to leadership, regulation and cultural change.

This event is the final session of our full-day Preventing Workplace Cyberause Summit. Find out more and explore the full program here.

About the speakers

• Angelique Wan is the co-founder and CEO of Consent Labs, a not-for-profit that works to end sexual violence in Australia through the delivery of consent and respectful relationships education. Angelique co-founded Consent Labs at 19 years old in 2016, and since then, the organisation has educated over 135,000 people nationally.

• Dr Simon Copland is an honorary fellow at the Australian National University, specialising in men's rights movements, online extremism and the politics of digital platforms. His book, The Male Complaint: The Manosphere and Online Misogyny, was released by Polity Press in 2025.

• Dr Victor Sojo is an Associate Professor in Leadership at the University of Melbourne, where his research explores how leadership, workplace culture, and organisational practices can advance – or hinder– gender equality. He examines the drivers and impacts of workplace abuse and systemic inequities, bringing evidence-based insight to some of society’s most pressing challenges. He also serves as Co-Deputy Chair of Our Watch, Australia’s national leader in the prevention of violence against women and children.

• Ginger Gorman is an award-winning social justice journalist and author of the bestselling book Troll Hunting: Inside the World of Online Hate and Its Human Fallout. Drawing from her personal experience as a target of online abuse, Ginger conducted an in-depth investigation into the world of internet trolls, uncovering the connections between online hate and real-world violence. Her work on cyberhate, online misogyny, and digital self-defence has been featured in major Australian and international media outlets.

• Dr Jacko Jackson (facilitator) is a Research Fellow at the Global Institute for Women's Leadership, leading our program of work on gendered cyberabuse. Their research focuses on transgender experiences, tech-based gendered violence, and LGBTQ experiences at work.