UK Considering Treating Misogyny as Extremism

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Facts

  • UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper has ordered a review of the country's counter-extremism strategy, to ascertain how to best tackle forms of hateful activity including Islamism, far-right extremism, and extreme misogyny.[1][2]
  • The Home Secretary has stated the review will 'map and monitor extremist trends' and discern how to direct people away from them. It will also identify and fill the 'gaps' in existing policy to crack down on people 'pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence.'[3][4]
  • According to The Telegraph, teachers, healthcare professionals, and local officials would be legally obligated to report young men they suspect are susceptible to becoming radicalized to the Prevent counter-terrorism program.[5][6]
  • Speaking to LBC, Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips MP stated that while, 'people can hold views about women all they like,' it was 'not ok to ignore' extreme attitudes towards women. She also claimed that a 'massive growing threat' against women was being 'caused by online hatred.'[7]
  • This comes after the UK National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) found in a July report, that recorded violence against women and girls (VAWG) in England and Wales had risen by 37% between 2018-2023, with 3K offenses recorded every day and 1/12 women affected each year.[8]

Sources: [1]Guardian, [2]Daily Mail, [3]BBC News, [4]GB News, [5]Mint, [6]The Telegraph, [7]lbc.co.uk and [8]National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC).

Narratives

  • Left narrative, as provided by Sky News and Washington Post. Misogyny and gender-based violence are among the most reliable indicators of terrorism and conflict. No wonder violence against women — a manifestation of a broader systemic problem — has become a national security threat in the UK. By identifying and tackling extreme misogyny in the same way as Islamist and far-right extremism, rampant crime against women on the streets and a massive surge in the radicalization of youngsters online can finally be curbed.
  • Right narrative, as provided by The Telegraph and GB News. What constitutes misogyny to one is not necessarily the same to another, which is why treating misogyny as extremism could criminalize free speech, worsen community tensions, and expose officials to legal challenges. Moreover, violence against women and girls is already a crime. If the government were taking the matter seriously, instead of implementing new policies, it would actually be enforcing existing laws more effectively.

Predictions