Very important column Russell and excellent discussion.
I'm surprised no-one has mentioned rap music (even though it is not Laneways thing). I have been listening to some of the current rap favourites including the Kendrick Lamar album that was widely considered album of last year.
I am staggered, appalled and disgusted by the language and crude description of women (bitches, whores etc) and "guidance" on what to do with them. You hear such songs about bitches etc coming out from passing car stereos with packs of young males in the vehicle. I so hate those terms and what it is doing to young male minds.
No wonder young men who hear this rubbish are treating women as playthings to abuse. I thought we had moved on from this and can't believe this seems to be standard and allowed in 2016.

As an older person I do take issue with the suggestion that it is only young men. I work late and often walk down Queen St to catch a train later at night and have several times been spat at, pushed and abused as some sort of a stupid old bugger by very very drunk young -looking women in skimpy dresses especially either outside the QF tavern or near McDonalds next to the train station. I can't get over how young and how very very drunk these women are and how very aggressive they are both physically and in language.
Let's address the male abuse of women issue but let's not pretend it is just young men being the problem here.