Boys to Be Sent on Courses to Tackle Misogyny in Schools Under New Government Strategy
Boys identified as being at high risk of developing misogynistic attitudes could be sent on specialist behavioural courses under a new government plan aimed at halving violence against women and girls within the next decade.
The measures, which apply to schools in England, form part of the government’s long-delayed strategy on violence against women and girls. The plan focuses on early intervention, with particular attention on preventing the radicalisation of young men and boys.
Teachers will receive specialist training to help them identify and challenge misogyny in the classroom. This will include guidance on consent, healthy relationships, and the risks associated with sharing intimate images. Schools will also be supported to promote positive male role models and to confront harmful myths about women and relationships.
A £20m funding package has been allocated to the education measures. Of this, £16m will come from public funds, with the remaining £4m expected to be raised through an innovation fund supported by philanthropists and other partners. The funding will cover a three-year spending review period.
As part of the plan, schools will be able to refer pupils showing signs of sexually harmful or abusive behaviour to targeted support programmes. Ministers say these courses will provide early help to challenge prejudice and reduce the risk of future violence.
The strategy also includes the launch of a new helpline for teenagers seeking advice or support over concerns about abuse in their own relationships.
Responding to the announcement, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Nicole Jacobs, said the strategy acknowledged the scale of the problem but warned that it did not go far enough. She said the level of investment “falls seriously short” of what is needed to bring lasting change.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch criticised the proposals, calling them “silly gimmicks”. Speaking to the BBC, she argued that the focus should be on policing and immigration enforcement, claiming the plans were driven by political fashion rather than evidence. She said young boys were being unfairly targeted.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected that characterisation, saying the government was not shifting attention away from perpetrators of violence. He said tackling misogyny and inequality at a young age was essential and that boys and men needed a “positive, aspirational vision” to counter harmful influences.
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips described violence against women and girls as a “national emergency” and said the government intended to change culture, not just policy. She said teachers currently lacked specialist places to refer pupils showing early warning signs of sexually harmful behaviour, something the new strategy aims to address.
The plans come amid growing concern about the influence of online misogyny on young people. Nearly one in five boys aged 13 to 15 hold a positive view of influencer Andrew Tate, according to a YouGov poll, while almost 40% of teenagers in relationships are reported to have experienced abuse.
As part of the wider strategy, the Home Office has announced a ban on so-called “nudification” tools that use generative AI to create fake nude images of real people without their consent. Ministers say they will work with technology companies to introduce nudity detection filters to prevent children from taking, viewing, or sharing explicit images, although details have not yet been published.
Liberal Democrat spokesperson for women and equalities Marie Goldman welcomed teacher training but warned that without stronger action to regulate online content, the measures would fail.
School leaders said many schools were already tackling misogyny but welcomed additional support. Sukhjot Dhami, principal of Beacon Hill Academy in Dudley, said the challenge was ensuring the funding was spent wisely and built on existing good practice.
Updated statutory guidance for schools, due to take effect from September, will require pupils to be taught how to recognise misogyny, understand its links to violence against women and girls, and learn how to challenge it. Ministers aim for all secondary schools to deliver healthy relationship education by the end of this Parliament.
The broader violence against women and girls strategy also includes specialist investigators for rape and sexual offence cases in every police force, the national rollout of domestic abuse protection orders, expanded NHS support for survivors, and increased funding for safe housing.
Announcing the measures in Parliament, Phillips said the government would use “the full force of the state” to prevent violence against women and girls and support victims, backed by £1bn in funding for victim services.
