Sir Keir Starmer's government is launching a direct assault on the misogynistic views spread by online influencers like Andrew Tate, introducing compulsory lessons on healthy relationships for every secondary school pupil in England.
A Flagship £36 Million Plan to Tackle Root Causes
The long-awaited strategy, worth £36 million, will be officially unveiled on Thursday. It arrives 18 months after Labour's election, fulfilling a manifesto pledge to halve violence against women and girls (VAWG) within ten years. The plan shifts focus towards prevention, targeting the underlying attitudes that lead to abuse.
Recent statistics underscore the urgency: nearly 40 per cent of teenagers in relationships report experiencing abuse, and over 40 per cent of young men view Andrew Tate positively. The strategy aims to intervene early, with teachers receiving specialist training to discuss issues like consent. Pupils displaying harmful behaviour will be enrolled in targeted programmes.
New Helpline and Criticism of Funding
As part of the initiative, a new helpline will be established for teenagers concerned about their own behaviour in relationships. The educational measures are backed by a £20 million package, with £16 million from the government and the rest from an innovation fund involving philanthropists.
However, the plan has faced criticism for not going far enough. Dame Nicole Jacobs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales, stated the investment "falls seriously short" of what is needed to reduce abuse rates. She also warned that overburdened schools lack the infrastructure to safeguard child victims of domestic abuse effectively.
Broader Context and Ministerial Resolve
The education push follows Department for Education research finding that 70 per cent of secondary school teachers had dealt with sexual violence or harassment between pupils. It also comes after Sir Keir vowed to review whether younger people should be recognised as domestic abuse victims following the 2023 murder of 15-year-old Holly Newton.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, drawing on her past work in a women's refuge, emphasised 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."
VAWG Minister Jess Phillips declared the strategy would deploy "the full power of the state" in the largest ever crackdown on such violence. The government aims for all secondary schools to teach healthy relationships by the end of the parliament, with a pilot scheme launching next year.
