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Home secretary Yvette Cooper is looking to list extreme misogyny as terrorism, according to reports.
The Sunday Telegraph claimed Cooper has ordered a “rapid analytical sprint” of the current counter-terrorism strategy to address violence against women and girls, and identify any holes in the legislation.
It hopes to be able to “map and monitor extremist trends” and to understand what stops people from becoming radicalised.
It is part of a wider strategy which will also look at tackling islamist and far-right extremism.
The home secretary’s plans include making it a legal requirement for teachers to refer students they suspect of extreme misogyny to the government’s counter-terror programme, Prevent.
It comes amid growing concern that online influencers, such as Andrew Tate, have been radicalising young boys.
Cooper told the newspaper: “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.”
She said that “action against extremism has been badly hollowed out in recent years” and that she wants 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 Labour MP said.
The government is set to unveil a new counter-extremism strategy next year.
The Home Office has already listed several extremism categories of “concern”, including “incel” (meaning involuntarily celibate), a misogynistic online subculture, but officials fear that does not capture all the nuances of extreme misogyny.
The announcement follows a report from National Police Chiefs’ Council last night, which found violence against women and girls is a national emergency.
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