Teachers to be trained to spot early signs of misogyny in boys

Teachers will be trained to spot signs of misogyny and tackle it in the classroom as part of the government’s long-awaited strategy to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Focused plans Preventing radicalization of young men – It will be announced on Thursday after being postponed three times this year.

Students will be taught topics such as consent, the dangers of sharing intimate images, how to identify positive role models and combat unhealthy myths about women and relationships.

The £20m package will also include a new helpline where young people can get support with concerns about abuse in their own relationships.

The government hopes that by addressing the early roots of misogyny it will prevent young men from turning into violent abusers.

Under new plans, schools will send high-risk pupils to receive extra care and support, including behavior courses to combat prejudice against women and girls.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said of the new measures: “Every parent should be able to trust that their daughter is safe at school, online and in their relationships, but too often toxic ideas emerge early and go unchallenged.”

“This government is stepping in earlier – supporting teachers, calling out misogyny and intervening when warning signs appear to stop the damage before it starts.”

The taxpayer will foot £16 million of the bill, while the government said it was working closely with philanthropists and other partners on an innovation fund for the remaining £4 million.

Domestic violence charity Risk Reduction said around 40 per cent of young people in relationships were victims of abuse.

Nearly one in five boys aged 13 to 15 are said to have a positive view of self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, according to a YouGov poll, with online influencers partly to blame for fueling this.

In response to the government’s plans, some teachers said schools were already doing the work outlined by the measures.

“While we welcome any initiative that prioritizes healthy relationships and consent education, it is important to recognize that schools like Beacon Hill Academy in Dudley have been doing this work effectively for years,” Principal Sukhjot Dhami said. he said.

“The challenge is not to start from scratch: it is to ensure that this £20 million is spent wisely and in partnership with schools that are already leading the way.”

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said it was positive that the government was recognizing the importance of training and support for school staff.

Mr Whiteman said schools were “only part of the solution”, while government, health, social care, police and parents would also “make a significant contribution”.

Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the government’s focus but added that it was also important for the government to implement “effective measures to prevent the spread of online misogynistic content served to young people by social media algorithms at its source”.

Nicola Mclafferty, 42, a victim of domestic violence, said more needed to be done to teach children about abuse.

“Victims of domestic violence, male or female, should go to meetings and talk to children about it, tell them a little bit about what you’ve been through, keep it realistic enough that it doesn’t scare them.

“More people need to talk and they need to know.”

The government has already announced a number of measures in its strategy. Expert inspectors for each police force to supervise rape and sexual crime cases.

It is stated that the staff will have the right training to understand the mentality of abusers and victims.

It was also announced that protection orders against domestic abuse, which were trialled in England and Wales last year, have been put into practice.

The court’s rulings mean individuals can be banned from contacting a victim, visiting their home or posting harmful content online, and can also be used in situations involving coercive or controlling behaviour. Violating an order is a criminal offence.

Other measures include better NHS support for child and adult survivors of abuse and funding for councils to provide safe accommodation for survivors of domestic abuse.

Two television commercials will also air on Saturday, featuring a range of athletes and celebrities calling for an end to violence against women and girls.

Dame Nicole Jacobs, domestic violence commissioner for England and Wales, said the commitments “do not go far enough” to ensure the number of people being abused starts to fall.

He added: “Today’s strategy correctly recognizes the scale of this challenge and the need to address the misogynistic attitudes that underlie it, but the level of investment required to achieve this is seriously inadequate.”