This article references rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Andrew Tate – and the unapologetic brand of misogyny he represents – is once again dominating headlines. New research shows that a fifth of UK males aged 16 to 29 have a favourable opinion of the so-called ‘influencer’ who, reminder, is facing charges in Romania of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. He denies the charges.
But who actually is Andrew Tate? And should you be worried if any of the men in your life are consuming his material?
The top line is that Tate was born in the US and raised in Luton. He was a professional kickboxer and then went on to Big Brother in 2016. When he entered the house, it was pointed out that he’d made various homophobic and misogynistic comments on Twitter. After six days, a video emerged where he was seen slapping a woman and beating her with a belt. Both Tate and the woman claimed that it was consensual, but the video was met with horror, and Tate was removed from the Big Brother house. He was banned from Twitter (then unbanned, of course) and has previously claimed that depression isn’t real, that women should obey men, that women should “bear some responsibility” if they are raped and that they “belong in the home.” In 2015, when he was running a webcam company, he was arrested by British police on suspicion of sexual assault, having been accused by two women. One of his accusers told Vice News that while working for Tate, she had been strangled “at least five times.” The case was dropped in 2019 after the CPS decided not to pursue the charges.
Tate shares a lot of territory with your average internet provocateur. But his actions go so much deeper than just saying controversial things. In December 2022, Andrew and Tristan, who were living in Romania were arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. They both deny all charges.
By this point, you’ve probably got the impression that Andrew Tate is a bad person. And yet, despite all of it – human trafficking allegations, admitting that he used women to scam money from men, videos of him beating a woman, and a litany of other vile actions, there are men all over the internet who still remain utterly devoted to Tate, claiming that any evidence of wrongdoing is faked, and that he is being punished for being a ‘truth teller’. It seems that it really doesn’t matter what Tate does – a core collective of vulnerable men on the internet will always love him.
He was greeted with cheers at his sold-out Wembley gig, and there are multiple comments in support of him on social media.
Robert Common is the founder and managing partner of The Beekeeper House, a mental health and addiction treatment centre. He told GLAMOUR that, to all intents and purposes, Tate’s most devoted followers have been radicalised.
“It’s essentially an extremist view that parallels the types of tactics that terrorist organisations use to recruit individuals to their causes,” he tells me. “We live in an increasingly polarised society. Those with opinions that don’t fit what the masses on social media, mainstream media or their peers deem as ‘normal’ are forced to the sidelines. When you’re in this position, it can be challenging to have your voice heard, or your voice gains more traction than is warranted.
“Someone like Andrew Tate and his teachings become appealing because there’s a perception that gives you a platform to be seen and listened to, which can be very intoxicating if you’re not used to it. Tate is pretending to represent this group of overlooked individuals when he actually does so for his own self-serving purposes.”
To understand the scale of the Andrew Tate problem, GLAMOUR asked the End Sexism in Schools campaign if they think that there is a correlation between his popularity and increasing sexism in the school environment. Katrina Handford, who helps lead the campaign and is the head of a mixed boarding school, said: “Undoubtedly. When individuals like Tate become so popular and influential, it normalises these sorts of beliefs and behaviours, not only for boys, but for girls too, making it harder for young girls to push back on comments – whether they be inappropriate, misogynistic or dangerous ones. It also reinforces harmful ideas amongst boys and young men that the only ‘acceptable’ emotions for them to experience and express are anger and violence, and that only through some kind of dominance can they be truly masculine. This is dangerous for boy’s mental and emotional wellbeing whilst also perpetuating issues of male violence against women.”
But it’s not just very young men who are being seduced by Tate. The size of his following demonstrates that men all over the world – the kind of men you work with, have after work drinks with, went to school with, are quietly following him. And the extent of this is actually more shocking than we initially realised.
A YouGov poll revealed that around a quarter of young men agree with Andrew Tate’s views on how women should be treated. In May 2023, The Independent revealed, having viewed the poll data, that 26 per cent of men in the UK aged between 18 and 29 who had heard of the Tate agreed with his opinions on women.
Some 28 per cent of men between 30 and 39 backed his outlook on women. The results also found that three in 10 men aged between 30 and 39 who were aware of him agreed with his views on masculinity and what being a man involves, while a quarter of men in the 18 to 29 age bracket backed Tate on this.
Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, told the newpaper the stats were “hugely concerning” and the survey demonstrates “Tate continues to wield influence on a significant proportion of younger men, who say they agree with his views on women, masculinity and how to be a man”.
She added: “His portrayal of a successful, lavish lifestyle, which is fully intended to target and appear aspirational for boys and men, is a dangerous mask for the violent and misogynistic content being drip-fed to his young viewers.”
So, what do you do if you’re confronted by a Tate fan?
It might be tempting to express total horror, but shaming isn’t going to help. Robert Common explains: “The person in question may be manifesting a more significant, profound issue. This could be a traumatic experience, a lack of belonging, or a sense of insecurity – any kind of vulnerability increases the chance of being radicalised in one form or another. It’s always hard when someone is aligning with opinions that many of us find offensive, distressing and potentially dangerous. Regardless of your political or social leanings, you should listen and engage with those whose views you find challenging – if you don’t, you risk marginalising them further and pushing them to greater extremes.”
Counsellor Michelle Ruth suggests a gentler path, saying: “I would try to understand their interest a little more. Trying to understand what is appealing about Tate may give you a clue as to what they may be seeking out by following him. In doing so, you may be able to discover whether there is a ‘healthier’ or less toxic option for them. It’s also helpful not to criticise and really try to empathise with that person’s experience, so that they don’t feel rejected and simply feel supported.”
If you do find that someone you know is a secret Andrew Tate fan, try to remember that Tate might be vile, but he’s not entirely stupid. Just as the diet and beauty industries exploited women for decades to sell products, men like Andrew Tate exploit the vulnerabilities and insecurities of men who don’t know how to be men. Like charismatic cult leaders, these men claim to be able to fix every unhappiness and cure every ill. The men he is radicalising are, to an extent, victims.
For more information about emotional abuse and domestic abuse, you can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247.
For more information about reporting and recovering from rape and sexual abuse, you can contact Rape Crisis on 0808 500 2222.
If you have been sexually assaulted, you can find your nearest Sexual Assault Referral Centre here. You can also find support at your local GP, voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis, Women's Aid, and Victim Support, and you can report it to the police (if you choose) here.
Gender-based violence is not inevitable.
