London – The UK government has initiated a historic strategy to safeguard women and girls by initiating discussions in the classroom.
Teachers will be equipped under a new national strategy to detect and confront harmful attitudes among students to reduce violence against women and girls by half in the next 10 years.
On Thursday, the £20m plan was announced by Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips, who has called it the biggest crackdown of its nature in British history. She informed Parliament that the state would exercise its full authority to make sure that the extent of violence against women is no longer considered a mere fact of life.
'This government recognises this as a national emergency'
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) December 18, 2025
Jess Phillips, Minister for Safeguarding, spoke to #BBCBreakfast about the government's strategy to halve violence against women and girls within the next decade including training teachers to spot the signs of misogyny… pic.twitter.com/sM3qqEjeW9
Why Schools are the Focus
The strategy follows a period of increasing worries about online influences. According to recent governmental statistics, over 40 per cent of young men like the controversial figure Andrew Tate.
This explosion of bad internet materials has led to a Tackle Misogyny strategy being favoured by the government as an important part of education.
Statistics in the UK last year alone showed that in every eight women, one was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, or stalking.
The government intervenes in schools to ensure that these problems are resolved before they translate to violence in adult lives.
New Tools for Teachers
The new rules will see the Directive of all the secondary schools in England to teach students about healthy Relationships.
Teachers will be provided with specialist training to hold challenging discussions regarding the importance of consent, the risks of posting intimate photos on the internet, and avoiding negative social media impacts.
The declaration noted that schools will also be able to identify high-risk persons who exhibit concerning behaviours. Such students will receive additional assistance and treatment in order to get them out of the negative, strong influences.
Protecting the Next Generation
Pupils who are concerned about their own behaviour or feelings will also have a new helpline. Prime Minister Keir Starmer supported the plan and added that it is aimed at improving education for boys and young men.
The Prime Minister wrote on the X (formerly Twitter): “I want my daughter to grow up in a Britain where she is safe at school, online, and in relationships.”
I want my daughter to grow up in a Britain where she feels safe in school, online, and in relationships.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 18, 2025
Every young girl deserves that, and every young boy should be protected from harmful misogynistic influences.
My government is making that happen, by backing teachers,…
He said that all young girls deserved safety, and that all young boys deserved to be spared the Tackle Misogyny cycle that damages their growth.
The government hopes that, by supporting teachers with these new tools, it can transform the culture of the nation to a better place and increase the safety of all in the streets and homes of Britain.