This report analyses the incel movement as an online violent extremist subculture rooted in misogyny, male supremacism, and rigid gender hierarchies. Focusing on user journeys within incel spaces, it examines how individuals access, engage with, and remain within the incelosphere, highlighting the role of online platforms in sustaining extremist identities and worldviews.
The report demonstrates how gender is central to incel ideology, which frames women as a hostile out-group and portrays sexual relationships as a zero-sum hierarchy governed by physical appearance and perceived genetic worth. While not all participants explicitly endorse violence, the analysis documents the prevalence of violent fantasies, dehumanising language, and the glorification of previous attacks, situating the incel subculture within a broader ecosystem of extremist misogyny.
By examining platform use, online-offline dynamics, and patterns of engagement, the report contributes to understanding how loosely organised online communities can foster violent extremist mindsets without formal leadership structures. It underscores the importance of recognising gender-based hatred as a core component of contemporary online violent extremism.