Link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publi...rlds-largest-study-of-incels-finds-accessible
A ground-breaking study has discovered the complex relationship between mental health, a shared worldview and the social networking of involuntary celibate (incel) communities.
The Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE) commissioned the Swansea University Research on the Incel Community (SURIC) to produce this report. This is the largest global study of incels to date.
A ground-breaking study has discovered the complex relationship between mental health, a shared worldview and the social networking of involuntary celibate (incel) communities.
The Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE) commissioned the Swansea University Research on the Incel Community (SURIC) to produce this report. This is the largest global study of incels to date.
Key findings:
- The answer to the incel phenomenon is more closely aligned to mental health support than counter terrorism interventions.
- Mental Health: Incels typically display extremely poor mental health, with high incidences of depression and suicidal thoughts (one in three incels contemplated suicide every day for the past two weeks). They are also more likely to be neurodivergent, with a higher likelihood of diagnosis for autism spectrum disorder.
- Attitudes and Beliefs: Participants perceived high levels of victimhood, anger, and misogyny. They acknowledged a shared worldview among incels which includes identifying feminists as a primary enemy. They also identified the political (far) left, wider society and women as enemies.
- Approval of violence: There exists a small cohort (5%) who ‘endorse the use of violence to defend their community. When asked if they justify violence against people that incels perceive as causing harm to them, 5% of respondents said ‘Often’. Around 20% said “Sometimes”.
- Political beliefs: Many commentators have suggested a link between incels and the far right. However, this survey found that incels were politically centre-left on average. The exception was the 5% who agreed that violence against individuals that that cause incels harm is often justified; these individuals were politically centre-right.
- Predicting harm: Mental Health and adoption of incel Ideology were significantly more likely to predict the development of harmful views than Social Networking (time spent on social network sites, amount of interaction with others, content generation, and exposure to radical people and content).
Notes to editors
- Predicting Harm Among Incels (Involuntary Celibates): The Roles of Mental Health, Ideological Belief and Social Networking will be published on the CCE website at 9am on Thursday 15 February.
- This research was published as part of the CCE’s ‘Rethinking Extremism’ series, to present innovative and thought-provoking research to government, counter-extremism professionals, and the wider public. It forms part of a wider CCE approach to providing advice and scrutiny to government on the approaches needed to counter extremism.
- The research was undertaken by Dr Joe Whittaker, Dr Andrew G. Thomas and William Costello from the Swansea University Research on the Incel Community (SURIC).
- For further information, please contact info@counteringextremism.gov.uk
