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2021 Article on Hegemonic Masculinity and Mass Shootings Targeting Women

North America

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The article, Gender-based mass shootings: An examination of attacks motivated by grievances against women, by Silva et al., discusses the quantitative and qualitative findings on research conducted from 1966-2018 on mass shootings in America. There is a gap in the research regarding mass shootings with gender based motives. Gender-based mass shootings occur when women were specifically targeted by the perpetrator. This paper discusses intervention and ideas for prevention for these crimes. 

This paper discusses the details of the May 23, 2014, mass shooting by a 22 year old man in Isla Vista, California. This case is specifically interesting because after the man committed a mass shooting that looked typical to other mass shooting cases at first, it was later revealed that the shooter had posted YouTube videos explaining his motives. These videos explained his hatred for women due to his "involuntary celibacy". 

Mass shootings are committed by men 98% of the time, with qualitative studies showing that gender and hegemonic masculinity play a huge role in mass shootings. This paper explains that there is a "crisis of masculinity" where men are prone to acting violent.

Strain theory is discussed in explaining the challenges men face when attempting to achieve the ideal male identity in society. The "crisis of masculinity" causes men to "take corrective action" and act violently towards women. 

External Authors

Jason R. Silva, Joel A. Capellan, and Colleen E. Mills

 

 


 

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