They're primarily straight, white dudes

What is of concern to women, however, is that while the vast majority of us don't know Minassian personally, we do encounter so very many men who seem like associate members of his exact same club.

The dynamic unfolds on Tinder and Facebook and even LinkedIn. In bars and clubs and offices and streets and public transport and family homes and on those occasions when we have the hide to wear clothing while jogging.

    She ignores him or says "not interested" and he turns nasty, saying she led him on, or owes him sex, or was just asking for it, or is somehow a f---ing slut for being so frigid.

It's not every guy every time but it's enough guys on enough occasions to know that this incel thing isn't just a media beat-up, a harmless internet fringe group, or even all that new. It's old, violent, and terrifyingly tenacious misogyny.

And that's as frightening as all hell.

Dr Emma A. Jane is an academic at UNSW Sydney. Her latest book is Misogyny Online: A Short and Brutish History.