INCIDENTS involving violence and sexual misconduct among young boys are no longer isolated – in fact, they reflect a broader pattern, says Universiti Malaya gender studies lecturer Prof Dr Shanthi Thambiah (pic).
She raised concerns that the issue is not the absence of positive male role models, but their invisibility.
“Positive men tend to be quiet, private and offline, while negative influences are hypervisible, amplified across digital platforms and social media,” she said, adding that misogyny does not emerge overnight or begin as outright hatred.
Instead, she explained, it takes root through layered exposure that starts early and is reinforced over time across home, school and digital spaces.
“At home, sons are often excused with phrases such as ‘boys will be boys’, while daughters are cautioned to be careful and nice.
“Boys learn that their behaviour will be tolerated, while girls learn that adjustment is expected of them,” she noted
These early lessons, Prof Shanthi said, are then reproduced in school environments.
“Boys’ aggression is frequently treated as a discipline issue, while girls are encouraged to manage risk on their own,” she said.
By primary school, she added, children already associate boys with power and entitlement, and girls with care and compliance – a stage she described as early, subtle patriarchy taking shape.
As children enter adolescence, digital spaces accelerate this process, she cautioned.
“Boys are often exposed to pornography before they have the emotional maturity to process it, while online influencers frame women either as prizes to be won or threats to be feared,” she said.
Unlike homes and schools, she added, digital spaces bypass adult monitoring, making misogyny more explicit and more difficult to challenge.
Steps to take
However, Prof Shanthi stressed that exposure alone does not determine outcomes.
“Not all boys who encounter misogynistic content become misogynistic. The risk is highest among boys whose early privilege and entitlement go unchallenged, and whose empathy remains underdeveloped,” she warned.
When boys lack emotional language and safe spaces to process rejection, failure or vulnerability, misogyny can offer a convenient source of blame – often directed at girls and women.
For this reason, she emphasised that early intervention is crucial, before identity becomes fixed.
“At home, children should be socialised with shared care and respect, and held accountable without shaming,” she advised.
Parents, she said, must recognise that the gender norms they enforce can escalate into misogynistic behaviour later in life.
“In schools, empathy must be taught explicitly, and narratives such as ‘boys will be boys’ must be actively challenged,” she added.
Meanwhile, in digital spaces, Prof Shanthi called for limits on unsupervised algorithm-driven exposure, alongside education in media literacy and healthier models of masculinity. — By SAMANTHA SO
Why youth violence is rising
- Violence amplified through social media
Algorithms often push sensational content, shaping young boys’ attitudes towards power, aggression and violence while reinforcing behaviours driven by the need for validation.
- Desensitisation through repeated exposure
Ongoing exposure to violent media, online gaming and unrealistic portrayals of aggression blurs the line between entertainment and real-world harm.
- Broader behavioural shifts, not isolated incidents
Sexual aggression among youth is part of a wider societal trend. Dismissing these cases as “online hype” ignores expert findings pointing to deeper behavioural changes.
Source: Prof Shanthi
