the worrying, sexist behaviour of some young men at uni

Editor’s note: this article contains examples of offensive and abusive language.

Researchers have been reporting a disturbing rise in sexist, misogynist behaviour from students in school classrooms.

This includes Australian studies which show how the extreme views of the “manosphere” (online anti-women and anti-women’s empowerment communities) have infiltrated schools.

Last year, my colleagues and I reported on abusive behaviour of male students towards their teachers. This included students using language such as “slut” or describing women as “rapeable”. It also included reports of male students working in groups to physically intimidate female students and staff.

What is happening in Australian universities?

Read more: 'Make me a sandwich': our survey's disturbing picture of how some boys treat their teachers

Our research

Following on from our research on schools, we are surveying university teachers about their experiences of antisocial language and behaviour.

So far, we have received 59 survey responses and done seven interviews. Most respondents so far are women and academics from minority backgrounds.

They are a mix of permanent and casual academic tutors and lecturers. They come from all around Australia, and teach mainly in education courses as well as the humanities, business, politics, health, human resource management and journalism.

Read more: Victorian students will get 'anti-Tate' lessons – but much more is needed to tackle gendered violence in schools

Disrespectful and rude

Interviewees have spoken of a noticeable increase in disrespectful behaviour from some first- and second-year male students.

This includes examples of students watching sport or doing online betting during classes. As one respondent told us:

Young male students eat snacks during class and swing on chairs. They leave crumbs and rubbish behind and leave their chairs out and they leave all of the equipment. It’s someone else’s job to clean up after them.

Women in positions of authority are not respected. One respondent told us how male students question the teacher’s expertise in front of class members, saying “this has surged over the past year”.

Or as another respondent said:

They call their female tutor Miss. Hey Miss. Sorry Miss.

Intimidating and scary

But the behaviour can extend beyond rudeness to intimidation. As one interviewee told us:

During tutorials over the past three years, behaviour has grown progressively worse from [a] largely Anglo-Australian cohort of [education students]. They sit exclusively in groups (gangs) and isolate students from other cultural backgrounds.

Another respondent described how students will gang up after classes and physically intimidate her.

If one male has a question, they wait until after class. All of the males stay behind. They are tall. They surround me to ask their question. If they don’t like the answer they ask, ‘who is higher than you? I will take this higher’. The behaviour is designed to unsettle. They have the power as a group. They know it.

Read more: Should misogyny be treated as a form of extremism?

Happy to express extreme, offensive views

Respondents also described a growing number of examples in which male students are readily expressing homophobic and sexist views during class discussions.

As one interviewee told us:

The anti-LGBTIQA+ backlash from students really shook me […]. There have been several examples of transphobia, homophobia and misogyny in my classes especially in recent years; managing these interactions in class is getting increasingly difficult as opinions are becoming more polarised.

Another academic described how misogyny and homophobia had become part of their classrooms:

Just last week, a student expressed their opinion that it was ‘OK to persecute lesbian and gay people’ because ‘they do not have children and contribute nothing to society, just like childless, single straight women’ and therefore do not ‘deserve the protection of the law’.

Problems with student evaluations

Previous Australian research has shown how anonymous student evaluations can be a platform for abusive comments against university staff.

This includes homophobic, violent and sexist commentary.

Academics in our study also singled out evaluations an an issue. One noted how she was described as “bossy” or “opinionated” for discussing diversity content with male teaching students.

Others described how they were changing the way they were teaching in relation to students’ aggression and potential feedback.

I have stopped challenging students for fear of the feedback as I am on probation. I can’t do a good job ethically and morally. I don’t want to teach any more. I am so sad about it. I grieve for it.

Another respondent explained:

Student evaluations are a real problem in this context, they have always been problematic, but with an ever more polarised discourse and the necessity to take firmer stands in class [this] make you inevitably unpopular with some students […].

Staff are not supported

A key theme from our research so far is that, on the whole, staff do not feel supported by their universities when they experience sexism, abuse or other threatening behaviour from students. There may be official policies and guidelines but these are not stopping problematic behaviour.

Respondents told us staff are “made to feel they don’t know how to handle the situation enough” or as though “I am the problem”.

Another tutor reported:

The culture is that we need to be soft in our approach and keep students happy. They have to work to survive, they are under pressure. As a tutor, there isn’t backup or support for behaviour issues.

Read more: 'Not my boy.' When teachers are harassed by students, some schools and parents fail to help

What next?

Our research is ongoing and draws on a modestly sized sample. Yet it suggests there are concerning trends not only in our schools but in our universities.

Universities should be places that nurture informed social critique and different viewpoints. But not to the point of abuse.

This suggests diversity education – around gender, race, sexuality and acceptance of differences – should be a core part of the university curriculum for all students.

Universities also need to do more to foster cultures that support and respect women and minority groups.

Professor Ed Palmer, Dr Sarah McDonald, Dr Eszter Szenes and Dr Daniel Lee all contributed to the research on which this article is based.