Netflix's new show Adolescence has sparked a lot of recent conversation and online discussions because it explores teenage masculinity in raw, sometimes unsettling ways, touching on themes like male insecurity, toxic masculinity, peer pressure, and toxic online influences that mirror real-life dynamics within the Manosphere. From a countering violent extremism lens, it raises the question of definitions and the delicate tipping point between violent misogyny and incel ideology and the evolution from online grievance spaces into real life threats. In this episode we chat with Dar Shannon Zimmerman, to help navigate the complexities. Shannon is a lecturer in strategic studies at Deakin University in the Center for Future Defense and National Security. Her research investigates misogyny-motivated terrorism, looking at online radicalisation and the groups in the Manosphere. She's currently working on a book exploring the involuntary celibates, or incels, as a new political movement.

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In this episode we chat with one of the world’s leading experts on terrorist psychology, Dr John Horgan. John is a distinguished University Professor of Psychology at Georgia State University where he directs the Violent Extremism Research Group. His research examines terrorist behaviour. His current focus is on school shootings in the US, and the critical disconnect that happens where offenders leak their intent but no one reports to an adult or authority. We delve a little further into this and what we can do in the intervention space to ensure that the warning signs are not ignored.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Lessons From a Mass Shooter’s Mother
• Studying the Links Between White Supremacist Terrorists and School Shooters
• Understanding and preventing violent extremism in school settings 
• Unesco: Teacher’s Guide on the Prevention of Violent Extremism
• The critical role of friends in networks for countering violent extremism: toward a theory of vicarious help-seeking
• AVERT Webinar - 'Terrorist Minds' with Professor John Horgan

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This podcast episode explores what the term incel means and what defines incel culture and ideology in this emerging form of gender based violent extremism. The Incel community has grown to be deeply ideological, promoting hate and violence against women across social media platforms and is becoming a growing cause of concern across the world. We chat with UK filmmaker and journalist Benjamin Zand. In his film featured on Four Corners he takes us into the dark world of Incels, a radical online subculture of young men who rage against women for supposedly denying them sex and then turn that rage into fantasies about horrific violence. The question is whether Incels pose a serious violent extremist threat in Australia, or are they just a marginalised neurodivergent group with social issues that are largely misunderstood?

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• How to Save an Incel  podcast
• What is an incel
• A short introduction to the involuntary celibate subculture
• We research online misogynist radicalisation here’s what parents of boys should know
• Talking to your sons about Andrew Tate and the 'manosphere'

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Across the globe, there are vulnerable children and teenagers being exposed to various channels of information, often quite graphic, unfiltered and some can lead to exploitation. The responsibility for protecting kids, is community wide. It starts with parents and carers and teachers, but everyone has a role to play in keeping children safe from harm online. In this episode we chat with General Manger of eSafety -Toby Dagg. Their office keeps tabs on suspicious activity in the online space and helps protect people online. It's Australia's first and only regulatory body of its kind. Toby gives us insight into emerging online dangers and trends and what we can do about it.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Protecting children from online grooming
• Internet Safety for Teenagers
• Unicef - parent teacher resources for online safety
• eSafety - support available when you see online content that is harmful and disturbing
• Reporting Online Extremism
• eSafety social media guide
• Thinkuknow: Preventing online child sexual exploitation
• The internet and violent extremism
• Online Radicalisation -what we know

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In this episode we chat with Fatina Elabd from Youth off the Streets. Youth Off the Streets provide intervention and support at the local level with a mission to support and empower young people. Homelessness in Australia is a growing problem. Almost 25% of all homeless Australians are young people aged 12-24. Jafar Sartawy is from their Leadership Program. He is an individual with a rich and diverse background, marked by personal experiences with extreme ideologies, substance abuse within social circles, and now a deep commitment to community service and support. He talks about his dedication to helping young people navigate challenging circumstances.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• A day in the life of a Youth Off The Streets youth worker  Video
• Tyrell's story Youth Off The Streets 
• Youth Off The Streets Streetwalk
• Developing connections with young people
• Helping young people have their say
• Best practice interventions for youth work
• Young people and extremism:  a resource pack  for youth workers
• Support for young people
• Youth Work Toolbox

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Today’s podcast episode is all about communication. In our line of work our referrals are getting younger and parents are struggling with that communication disconnect with their teenagers – who are increasingly retreating online for that sense of belonging or understanding. It’s crucial we continue to communicate with our children – and in their world, so we can understand and know potential warning signs and vulnerabilities. Detective Blaise Cooper has 20 years law enforcement experience and is creator of the MYPATH Communication Model. In this episode he helps us understand how we can break down some communication barriers and gain trust and understanding with our kids.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Helping pre-teens and teens manage emotional ups and downs
• Five tips on negotiating with your child – from a former FBI hostage negotiator
• What a Hostage Negotiator Can Teach Us About Parenting
• Understanding and managing anger
• Communicating effectively with someone you disagree with
• How to strengthen family communication

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COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on young people found nearly half of the national school population being vulnerable to negative impacts. Misinformation, disinformation, stigmatisation, and extremism were disseminated at a higher rate than ever before. An extreme consequence was vulnerable young people being exposed to or becoming radicalised. Once such susceptible young person and client of the Engagement and Support Program who became radicalised during that time is our guest in this episode. Ollie talks about his process of radicalisation and how we got back on track.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Rabbit Hole: What is the internet doing to us? The Times tech columnist Kevin Roose discovers what happens when our lives move online.
• Understanding radicalization - new research highlights the online pathway to indoctrination
• User Journeys into Online Extremist Groups
• It stains your brain': How social media algorithms show violence to boys
• The Boys Are Not Alright - The rise of boys being radicalised online
• Protecting Children From Online Grooming

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This powerful episode is facilitated by Dr Malcolm Haddon from Multicultural NSW – the project sponsor and lead for CONTINUUM. The core of CONTINUUM is their network of inspiring Storytellers: Australian and New Zealander survivors of terrorism who are committed to telling their stories. Their stories can help transform society. The CONTINUUM vision is for everyone who listens to these stories to make an ethical decision in their own lives – to speak up, stand up and stand united for a society free from hate. This episode features the Lindt siege terror attack survivor Louisa Hope.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Continuum Project
• Multicultural NSW
• Louisa Hope
• ‘I didn’t take the easy way’: Curtis Cheng's son on fighting hate with tolerance
• Life lessons: from the son of a victim of extremism | Alpha Cheng | TEDx
• Outer Limits: bombings survivor Gill Hicks
• UN: Memories

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This episode features Ben James from AAP FactCheck. Ben is a journalist, editor and author with more than a decade of experience working at news organisations. AAP (or Australian Associated Press) FactCheck focuses on investigating claims of political significance and counteracting misinformation shared on social media. Fake videos, news and misinformation is everywhere. Bad actors are constantly seeking faster communication channels and broader distribution opportunities to twist online narratives using misinformation and disinformation, for their own political purposes. What is the link between the spread of fake news and radicalisation, or violent extremism? Misinformation is pervasive and can be difficult to spot. But building the skills to recognise reliable information doesn't have to be complicated. Ben helps us identify and respond to hateful conspiracy theories and fake news.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• AAP factcheck resources
• Google fact check tools
• Google reverse image tool
• Tools That Fight Disinformation Online
• Why is there so much misinformation and disinformation? - BTN High
• Unicef parent and teacher resources - fake news & misinformation
• Teach your child to spot fake news
• The Misinformation Virus -Why fake science spreads faster online than the truth 
• Museum of Australian Democracy - Misinformation Resources
• emart media literacy lab
• Unesco - Media and Information Literacy Curriculum
• Tackling disinformation - a learning guide  
• facebook.com/aapnewswire
• Instagram - @australianassociatedpress 

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In this introductory episode we do a deeper dive into the work that we do at ESU and the trends we see in our client base, usually in response to world events. We chat with Dr Kristy Campion from Charles Sturt University on emerging ideologies in Australia and how the focus today is on youth. Young people are increasingly vulnerable to engaging in violent extremism and our own referrals are getting younger and younger. We recently engaged Kristy to do some research on our young client base to see if they could draw any conclusions on the susceptibility nexus for young people’s engagement in violent extremism.

You can find our support services here or contact Step Together for further information

FURTHER LINKS RELATING TO THIS EPISODE

• Spot the signs
• Push and pull factors in violent extremism
• About Kristy Campion
• Neurodivergence and extremism.
• Trauma, Adversity & Violent Extremism: A Systematic Review
• Mental Health and Violent Extremism  Podcast
• How young, vulnerable people get radicalised 

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