The United Kingdom has announced a major new initiative to combat violence against women and girls, placing teachers on the front lines. On Thursday, December 18, 2025, safeguarding minister Jess Phillips told parliament that a new strategy would deploy the full power of the state to tackle the issue.
New Strategy to Halve Violence Against Women
The government's plan involves a £20 million investment aimed at halving violence against women and girls over the next ten years. Jess Phillips revealed shocking statistics, stating that over the last year alone, one in every eight women was a victim of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking.
"For too long the scale of violence against women and girls has been treated as a fact of life in our country," Phillips told MPs. The strategy marks a shift from treating the issue as solely a criminal justice matter to a broader societal challenge that begins in the classroom.
Teachers to Challenge Harmful Attitudes Early
A core component of the plan is the specialist training for teachers. All secondary schools in England will be required to teach students about healthy relationships. Educators will receive training to discuss critical issues like consent and the dangers of sharing intimate images.
The training will empower teachers to identify and challenge misogynistic attitudes before they escalate. Schools will also have the ability to refer high-risk individuals for targeted support. This proactive approach is designed to "stop the violence before it starts," according to Phillips.
The minister highlighted the growing threat of online radicalisation, citing research by the NGO Hope Not Hate which found that over 40 percent of young men held a positive view of controversial 'manosphere' influencer Andrew Tate. "The proliferation of content with the potential to poison young minds has never been greater," she warned.
Ban on 'Nudification' Tools and New Support Helpline
The government will also take legislative action against harmful technology. It plans to ban so-called "nudification" tools, which use artificial intelligence to strip clothes from people in photographs.
Furthermore, officials will collaborate with technology companies to implement "nudity detection filters" intended to make it impossible for children to take, view, or share nude images online. A new helpline will also be launched, specifically targeted at pupils who are concerned about their own behaviour and want help.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasised the educational focus of the strategy, stating it was about "driving forward education and conversation with boys and young men." On social media platform X, he added, "I want my daughter to grow up in a Britain where she feels safe in school, online, and in relationships. Every young girl deserves that, and every young boy should be protected from harmful misogynistic influences."
This comprehensive strategy follows the government's earlier move to show the searing Netflix drama "Adolescence" in secondary schools. The film, which depicts a teenage boy radicalised online who stabs a girl to death, sparked a national debate about the toxic influences young boys encounter on the internet.
