Gender Based Violence: Youth Justice

Tackling violence against women and girls is a core priority for this Government and we are committed to halving it within a decade.

This Government is concerned by the growth and scale of online harms, including misogynistic content, and the role that digital platforms can play in shaping norms, relationships and behaviour at a young age.

Our VAWG Strategy is clear that preventing harm requires a whole-system response, spanning education, families, communities and public services. The youth justice system has a vital role to play, not only in responding to offending, but in identifying and addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours before they escalate. That is why the Youth Justice White Paper, ‘Cutting Youth Crime. Changing Young Lives.’, is focused on intervening earlier, and responding quickly and proportionately to emerging behaviour and attitudes.

This Government is working with youth justice services, statutory partners and specialist organisations to strengthen the system’s ability to respond robustly to harmful sexual behaviour and misogynistic attitudes.