Under the suggested legislation, it would be mandatory for school teachers to refer students they suspect of extreme misogyny to the government’s counter-terror programme….reports Asian Lite News
For the first time, the government is planning to treat extreme misogyny as a form of terrorism, the Telegraph reported. To tackle growing incidents of violence against women and girls, home secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered a review of the counter-terrorism strategy which will help identify gaps in current laws and also study emerging ideologies especially online misogynistic discourse.
This move will look at violence against women in the same way as far-right extremism. Under the suggested legislation, it would be mandatory for school teachers to refer students they suspect of extreme misogyny to the government’s counter-terror programme.
The Labour MP added: “Action against extremism has been badly hollowed out in recent years, just when it should have been needed most. That’s why I have directed the Home Office to conduct a rapid analytical sprint on extremism, to map and monitor extremist trends, to understand the evidence about what works to disrupt and divert people away from extremist views, and to identify any gaps in existing policy which need to be addressed to crack down on those pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence. That work will underpin a new strategic approach to countering extremism from government, working closely with communities to build consensus and impetus for our plans.”
The review is expected to be completed this autumn as part of a new counter-extremism strategy which is set to be unveiled by the Home Office next year.
There are several extremism categories ranked by the Home Office including “incel”, or “involuntarily celibate”, an online subculture in which a misogynistic worldview is promoted by men who blame women for their lack of sexual opportunities.
Anyone who is referred to the programme is assessed by local police to see if they show signs of radicalistaion and need to be deradicalised. This comes after reports warned that misogynistic influencers like Andrew Tate are radicalising teenage boys online in the same way terrorist draw in their followers.
Last year, counter-extremism workers warned of a rise in the number of cases being referred to them by schools concerned about the his influence. The reports included incidents of verbal harassment of female teachers or other students which reflected the influencer’s views.
The Home Ministry has several extremism categories marked as areas of “concern” and this includes a category for “incel” – an abbreviation of the term “involuntary celibate” – which refers to a misogynistic view that blames women for men’s failure to get sexual opportunities. Officials now fear that this category does not capture other forms of extreme misogyny.
“For too long, governments have failed to address the rise in extremism, both online and on our streets, and we’ve seen the number of young people radicalised online grow. Hateful incitement of all kinds fractures and frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy,” Cooper told the Telegraph.
Last month, National Police Chiefs’ Council published a report on violence against women and girls labelling it as a national emergency.
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