The government has unveiled a major new initiative to combat violence against women and girls, with a core focus on early intervention in schools. Ministers have announced that all secondary schools in England will be required to teach students about healthy relationships as part of a strategy aiming to halve such violence within ten years.
Core Components of the New Strategy
Under the plans, teachers will receive specialist training to address critical issues like consent with their pupils. A significant part of the strategy involves identifying and addressing worrying behaviour early. Children as young as 11, primarily boys, who exhibit harmful behaviour towards family members or in relationships will be enrolled in behaviour change programmes. This pilot scheme, reported by The Times, could later be extended to primary schools.
Furthermore, a dedicated helpline will be established for teenagers concerned about their own behaviour in relationships, providing a direct route to support. The education measures are backed by a £20 million funding package, with £16 million coming from the government, which is also collaborating with philanthropists on an innovation fund.
Leadership and Expert Response
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer emphasised the urgency of the action, stating that toxic ideas are too often "going unchallenged" in young people's formative years. "This Government is stepping in sooner – backing teachers, calling out misogyny, and intervening when warning signs appear – to stop harm before it starts," he said.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, drawing on her past experience working in a women's refuge, highlighted the importance of prevention. "We cannot simply respond to harm after it happens; we must give young people the understanding and tools they need before attitudes harden into harm," she stated.
However, the domestic abuse commissioner for England and Wales, Dame Nicole Jacobs, warned that the commitments "do not go far enough" to see a reduction in abuse cases. She praised the strategy's recognition of the challenge but criticised the level of investment as "seriously short," also noting that overburdened schools lack the infrastructure to safeguard child victims of domestic abuse effectively.
Broader Context and Additional Measures
The announcement follows Department for Education research which found that 70% of secondary school teachers had actively dealt with incidents of sexual violence or harassment between pupils. Paul Whiteman of the National Association of Head Teachers welcomed the specialist teacher training, calling it something school leaders have "long called for," but stressed that schools are only "part of the solution."
The broader cross-government strategy includes several other key measures:
- Introducing specialist rape and sexual offences investigators to every police force.
- Providing better NHS support for survivors.
- A £19 million funding boost for councils to offer safe housing for domestic abuse survivors.
- New guidance for police and social services on teenage relationships.
- A review of the legal framework for domestic abuse to better address teenagers' experiences.
Sir Keir has also vowed to examine whether younger people should be formally recognised as domestic abuse victims, a move prompted by the 2023 murder of 15-year-old Holly Newton by her stalker ex-boyfriend. Jess Phillips, the minister for violence against women and girls, described the strategy as a "largest crackdown" to prevent harm, deploying "the full power of the state."
Schools for the teacher training pilot will be selected next year, with the government aiming for all secondary schools to deliver healthy relationship sessions by the end of the current Parliament.
