Swiss men take to streets, call for stronger fight against violence against women

Hundreds of men gathered outside parliament in the Swiss capital on Saturday to protest against misogyny and violence against women, calling on men to take a more active and vocal role in challenging both.The demonstration, titled “Men against Violence against Women”, came amid growing concerns over the spread of misogynistic views among teenage boys and young men, particularly online. Organisers and campaigners have called for men to build a stronger counter-narrative to such attitudes.The rally also followed increased visibility for influencers associated with the right-wing “manosphere”, some of whom were emboldened by US President Donald Trump's 2024 election victory to amplify misogynistic insults and threats online, according to news agency the Associated Press (AP).Study highlights concerns over attitudes towards masculinitySwiss academics and advocacy groups have, for the first time, attempted to assess the scale of the manosphere movement in the country.A survey published in June by the University of Zurich and mencare, an umbrella organisation representing Swiss men's and fathers' groups, found that half of male respondents aged 18 to 24 expressed concern that “real men are increasingly marginalized in society”.The study also found that half of those surveyed held a restrictive, dominance-based view of masculinity.It called for “a systematic and society-wide debate about ideals of masculinity that promote violence”, adding that the discussion should begin in schools.The Swiss government…