The Incel Movement in Canada: Context and Practices of Intervention - ASL Channel

Largely operating online, incels identify as involuntarily celibate individuals-often men-who are frustrated by their inability to engage with a romantic or sexual partner. Their worldview is grounded in a shared and often violent hatred of women, feminism, and mainstream dating norms. This Webinar focuses on the ideological evolution of the incel communities in Canada. By providing an overview of the tenets of incel beliefs in the context of persisting reports of incel-motivated harm, this Webinar situates incels within broader intersections of gender-based violence and ideological extremism. This evaluation puts forth considerations applicable to researchers and public policy practitioners working in gender empowerment, online communications standards, and public safety. After explaining the incel phenomenon in Canada, this Webinar explores avenues of future action, with a key focus on existing strategies of deradicalization, rehabilitation, and disengagement from extremist misogynistic ideologies. We consider the theoretical and practical elements of balancing both sympathy and accountability through clinical support. Seeing as over half of incels seek counselling and social support services, this Webinar is grounded in concrete practice experience and puts forth several implications for practitioners and clinicians who may encounter incels in their practice.