In recent years, experts have warned that many young men are turning to influencers such as Andrew Tate, Harrison Sullivan and Justin Waller, who have been described as misogynistic, sexist and ‘toxic’.
A 2026 Monash study of 107 teachers found boys’ misogynistic behaviour has become more overt since 2022, while eSafety says 47% of children have seen sexist or hurtful online content about women.
Fortunately, teachers are taking action to keep schools safe from the rise of controversial ‘manosphere’ culture, risks faced by young people in the online world, and the increasing needs of children growing up in a more complex and connected world.
Each year, Life Ed SA's Youth Connect forum brings together teachers, wellbeing educators and youth professionals to tackle the challenges facing young people. Featuring leading psychologists, child safety experts and industry leaders, the event equips educators with practical, classroom-ready strategies to create safer, more supportive and engaging learning environments.
Identifying the patterns that matter most
Kristi McVee, Child Safety Expert and former WA Police Detective, is one of the thought-provoking speakers set to challenge perspectives at this year’s Youth Connect on Friday, 18 September at Hectorville Sports Club, Magill.
When asked what warning signs educators should watch for before a situation escalates, McVee said the signs are rarely dramatic, and the tell is usually patterns rather than a big event.
“Watch for sudden behavioural shifts, especially tied to device use. Secrecy that's anxious rather than typical teenage privacy - flipping phones over, deleting messages, hidden accounts,” McVee told The Educator. “Unexplained gifts, credits, or money, a classic early grooming marker.”
McVee said other signs include language shifts, such as extremist, misogynistic, or conspiratorial phrases picked up through gaming and online content, noting that withdrawal from friendship is another red flag.
“Educators don't need to be investigators - they need to notice change, stay curious, and build relationships.”
While it can be difficult for educators to tell normal adolescent behaviour from signs that something deeper is going on, McVee said the key to differentiating this is duration, intensity, and context, not the behaviour itself.
“Every teenage boy is impulsive or withdrawn sometimes,” she said. “What matters is whether it's a shift from their baseline, how long it's lasted, and whether it's affecting multiple areas of life such as friendships, schoolwork, sleep, home.”
McVee said educators should focus less on isolated incidents and more on patterns that emerge over time.
“While one bad week isn't necessarily a red flag, six weeks of escalating withdrawal, secrecy, or volatility is,” she said.
“Educators don't need to diagnose the cause - ADHD, autism, online harm, mental health - that's not their job. Their job is noticing the change, being a safe adult for young people and to help get the right supports, early.”
What boys are missing
Another speaker sharing their insights at the event will be Mike Dyson, Wellbeing and Education Leader from Good Blokes Co, who will lead a practical, experiential workshop on building better relationships with boys in a world where gender narratives and fake news are prominent.
When asked what is drawing some boys towards misogynistic narratives, and what educators can do to offer a healthier alternative, Dyson said the core driver to address is loneliness.
“Boys are often surrounded by people 24/7 both in person and online, but most lack the quality of relationships where they can be truly themselves,” Dyson told The Educator. “For years, I’ve heard boys consistently describe social environments where their peers celebrate and encourage superficial, ‘alpha male’ behaviours and attitudes.”
Dyson said that in the absence of a community that celebrates their authentic selves, boys are driven to “inauthentic performative masculinity” in order to fit in.
“When that fails, it’s not surprising that they are drawn into hyper engaging and extreme narratives online,” he said. “Because boys are already gathered in groups, schools have a powerful opportunity to guide groups of boys to build that deeper sense of community together.”
Dyson said schools are uniquely placed to help boys build the connections that protect them from harmful influences.
“Through social and emotional learning that develops boys’ ability to be more honest, supportive and accountable to their friends, boys build their own healthy alternative to harmful online content.”
‘Most at risk boys tend to see lectures as an attack’
Dyson said the biggest mistake schools make when trying to engage boys is focussing on delivering content and providing information.
“The boys who are most at risk tend to see lectures as an attack. Instead of talking ‘at’ boys or even talking ‘with’ boys, a more engaging approach is to gradually create safety for boys to be honest with each other,” he said. “The simplest place to start is to think of the least risky way for students to share their honest perspectives.”
Dyson said schools could consider using an anonymous online survey, or a secret ballot box.
“Mindfully ask students to write, ‘what is a real friend’, or ‘what do boys wish they could say out loud?’” he said.
“Then read a selection of anonymous answers and continue asking questions in these low risk formats until the level of trust in the room grows enough for them to be truly honest with each other face-to-face.”