North East project challenging misogyny and harmful online influences
Last updated 16 hours ago
Filming is underway in Newcastle into the creation of a documentary drama challenging sexism and harmful online influences.
This project is just one of a range of organisations delivering social action projects, targeted youth work and community cohesion initiatives that are set to benefit from the Commissioner’s Community Fund.
‘Stories of the Manosphere’ is being created by the Young Women's Film Academy, exploring the impact of misogyny, online influencers and harmful attitudes towards women and girls.
It comes just weeks after North Tyneside schoolgirls had created their own short film - highlighting the sexual online violence they face on a daily basis.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Susan Dungworth, says it will be used to educate young people, parents and professionals on the subject.
Trixie Parkin-Christie, who's an associate producer on the production, says the film explores the more hidden aspects of misogyny as well as the explicit.
She said: “It’s subtle things - that’s kind of what our film is taking the perspective of.
“The nice guy trope, where people hide behind this idea that they’re helping you or being lovely and kind, but underneath that, it's like, why are they doing that? Why are they treating me this way?
“The young girls from the workshops… all of their experiences and understanding of misogyny have been used to portray this nice guy and that surfaces as ‘he’s a huge red flag’ but identifying that can very easily be missed.
“It’s a huge topic now because social media is getting bigger and bigger, and young girls are receiving a lot of horrible comments and seeing it all around them”
Clara Shield is the Chief Executive Officer of the Young Women's Film Academy and hopes the film will assist to address misogyny across the region, and empower young girls.
She said: “3-4 women a week in the UK are killed through domestic abuse and violence against women and girls, so they wanted to make that story and point that this can happen to all of us.
“There’s not one woman who has not been personally affected by misogyny or at least know someone who has”
Discussing the intended result of the film, she added: “Making films and getting it out there is one of the ways we can hopefully educate to recognise what we can do about this”
Susan Dungworth, Northumbria PPC said: “For as long as misogyny exists, not only is it holding girls and women back from their full potential, but it is putting them in danger as well.
“It might seem like a bit of trendy current thing that we’re talking about with young people, but it is the underpinning of so much crime and unacceptable behaviour in our society."
She hopes showing the film to young people across the region will open a helpful discussion between young men and women.
She said: “The film which will be taken out into schools across the region along with a series of workshops.
“They’re not just going to be showing a film in assembly and job done, they will actually be exploring the issues raised in the film.”
She said that these activities will give an opportunity to have those discussions around misogyny for young people.
Adding that “we are listening to young women but also to young men as well, because it won’t change unless both those attitudes change”.