The phenomenon of misogynistic online hate speech: analysis and characteristics of a new form of genderbased violence

Abstract

This paper examines the phenomenon of online misogynistic hate speech, emphasizing its key characteristics and conceptualizing it as a novel form of genderbased violence. The analysis adopts approaches that consider genderbased violence as a social construct, alongside Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic violence, illustrating how such practices perpetuate gender differentiation and reinforce hierarchical structures destabilized by recent social and economic
transformations. The discussion also addresses the heterogeneity of victims, the intersectional dimensions of the phenomenon, and the challenges posed by the use of the online medium. In conclusion, the paper explores potential solutions, both legal and nonlegal, to mitigate these behaviors, with particular attention given to the strategy of counterspeech as a means of confronting and countering hate narratives.