London, December 19: Britain will train teachers to identify early signs of misogyny in boys and intervene before harmful attitudes take root, as part of a government strategy aimed at halving violence against women and girls within a decade.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said toxic ideas were taking hold at a young age and too often went unchallenged, citing research suggesting more than 40% of young men hold a positive view of misogynistic social media influencer Andrew Tate.
The measures form part of a £20 million ($25 million) package to be formally unveiled on Thursday, with £16 million funded by the taxpayer and £4 million coming from philanthropists and partners.
Under the plans, teachers will receive specialist training to help them discuss issues such as consent, healthy relationships and the risks of sharing intimate images. All secondary school pupils in England will be taught about healthy relationships, with lessons set to become mandatory by the end of the current parliament in 2029.
A pilot scheme involving selected schools will begin in 2026, with external experts brought in to deliver the programme. An online helpline will also be launched for teenagers concerned about their own behaviour in relationships.
“Every parent should be able to trust that their daughter is safe at school, online and in her relationships,” Starmer said. “This government is stepping in sooner – backing teachers, calling out misogyny, and intervening when warning signs appear – to stop harm before it starts.”
Department for Education-commissioned research found that 70% of secondary school teachers surveyed said their school had actively dealt with sexual violence or harassment between pupils.
Violence against women and girls minister Jess Phillips said early intervention was essential, warning that without action the problem could worsen. “If the government does nothing to intervene, violence against women and girls could double rather than be halved,” she told Sky News.
The government has also announced other measures this week, including introducing specialist rape and sexual offences investigators in every police force, improving NHS support for survivors, and providing an additional £19 million for councils to offer safe housing for domestic abuse survivors.
However, the plans have drawn criticism from watchdogs. Dame Nicole Jacobs, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, said the commitments did not go far enough and that schools were already under significant pressure.
“Today’s strategy rightly recognises the scale of this challenge and the need to address the misogynistic attitudes that underpin it, but the level of investment to achieve this falls seriously short,” she said.
Incoming victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman said victim services must be central to the strategy, warning that without sustained funding and strong cross-government leadership, the plan risked becoming “a wish list of tactical measures rather than a bold, unifying strategic framework.”
