Secret Service Case Study Finds Correlation Between Misogyny and Mass Violence
Alicia Devine | Tallahassee Democrat
The National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC), a research component of the U.S. Secret Service, recently compiled a case study on the rise of incidents of violence perpetrated against women by men who identify as incels.
In this report, the NATC defines an incel or involuntary celibate as a man who feels entitled to but is unable to obtain romantic or sexual relationships with women, representing a type of misogynistic extremism. In recent years, researchers, government agencies, and advocacy groups have paid increasing attention to this gender-based ideology, which is also referred to as male supremacy, due to its association with high-profile mass violence incidents.
Using an example of a deadly shooting at a Tallahassee yoga studio in 2018, the NTAC offers information about early intervention and behavioral threat assessment that can prevent such violence in the future. Scott Beierle, the subject of this case study, had been involved in a long history of misogynistic and criminal behavior. However, the NTAC noted that authorities failed to realize the interconnected nature of Beierle's actions.
Investigators noted that Beierle’s views mirrored those of self-described involuntary celibates or incels.
As a substitute teacher, multiple school districts fired Beierle for touching female students and watching porn; law enforcement arrested him for groping women and trespassing on three occasions; his apartment evicted him after he assaulted a woman; and the U.S. Air Force honorably discharged him in 2010 following "inappropriate contact" with female soldiers. In 2014, he uploaded 17 videos to a video-sharing website that were described as rants that were sexist, homophobic, and racist. He also declared on online forums his admiration and support for Adolf Hitler and "his genocide." During his teenage years, Beierle was allegedly stalking his classmates and writing an 80-page novella entitled "Rejected Youth" about a middle school boy who murders his female classmates before killing himself as law enforcement arrived.
“The latest case study by the National Threat Assessment Center examines the background of an attacker who displayed decades of disturbing misogynistic behavior, ranging from inappropriate comments and touching, to stalking and assaults,” stated NTAC Chief Dr. Lina Alathari, “Communities must remain aware of misogynistic extremism, while pursuing prevention efforts that are designed to identify and intervene with those who pose a risk of violence.”
Though Beierle's behavior had caused alarm among his family, friends, roommates, colleagues, school officials, students, law enforcement, and community members, he also pursued higher education, served in the military, and held highly regarded professional positions of trust. In high school, Beierle received multiple awards for football and the Boy Scouts; he was also elected vice president of his senior class.
There remains no single profile of an attacker, as concluded in previous research. Bystanders tend to become concerned before violence takes place when attackers display observable, troubling behaviors across various social systems.