The United Kingdom has announced that crimes against women will be treated as acts of terrorism. This can be considered a bold and unprecedented move, which signifies a policy shift to underscore the growing recognition of gender-based violence as not just a social issue but also a profound threat to national security. The nation is set to classify extreme misogyny as a form of extremism which aligns with terrorism. The move is heralded by policymakers and rights of women activists. This approach signals a growing recognition of the severe threats that misogyny poses not only to women’s safety rather to national security and societal cohesion.
The announcement made by Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, reflected the government’s commitment to combating gender-based violence with the same urgency revered for counterterrorism efforts. The Home Secretary is her statement said, “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 of fractures and frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy.”
She also added, “Action against extremism has been badly hollowed out in recent years, just when it should have been needed the 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.”
A long-standing issue brought to light
For years, violence against women has been a pervasive issue in the UK, which ranges from domestic abuse and sexual violence to online harassment. In the years 2022 and 2023, the police recorded approximately 70,000 rapes in regions including England and Wales. Both women and men in these landmarks also faced sexual assault. The data from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) have shown that the adults aged 16 and over witnessed sexual assault by 2.3 per cent (1.1 million people). Among the total numbers, 798,000 women and 275,000 have experienced assault in 2022. The most common type of sexual assault was unwanted touching, and this was experienced by 1.7 per cent of adults.
Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) highlighted the scale of the problem, with more than one in four women in the UK reporting experiences of domestic abuse during their lifetime. Online harassment and abuse have exploded in the country, and this is exacerbated by the rise of social media platforms. The government’s latest move to reclassify extreme misogyny as a form of extremism comes from the growing concerns that such behaviours are not only destructive to people but could threaten national stability.
Historically, misogyny has not been regarded as an issue that falls under the remit of counter-terrorism efforts. However, looking at recent cases, including high-profile incidents involving mass shooters with a history of misogynistic ideologies, have forced the government to rethink its strategy. The tragic and barbaric killing of Sarah Everard in 2021 by a police officer, along with the rise of incel subcultures, has driven home the need for a better response to gender violence. There is another reason why the UK took this stand: a 17-year-old Rwandan boy, Alex Rudakubana, kills children attending dance classes without confirming the reason. After inspection, it was found that he was a part of misogynistic thinking.
Misogyny as terrorism, what does it mean?
Extremism is an ideology based on violence, hatred and intolerance. Its primary aim is to negate and destroy fundamental rights and freedoms. Misogyny refers to an extreme level of hatred of women. Treating extreme misogyny as a form of terrorism represents a seismic shift in UK law and order. The government, in collaboration with CONTEST, the counter-terrorism experts, will now focus on extremist misogynistic ideologies, specifically those that spread hatred and violence against women. This new classification will include mandating teachers and healthcare professionals to identify and refer individuals to Prevent.
The Counter-Terrorism and Security Act will be updated to account for this change, and misogyny will now be included within the Prevent duty, which obligates public bodies to report people displaying extremist behaviours. On the other side, law enforcement will receive specialised training to identify and counter misogynistic extremism. It will focus on those who harbour radical views that become threatening to women.
The approach is not intended to criminalise all forms of misogyny; instead, it is to target its extreme manifestations – those that advocate or inspire violence, radicalisation, and coercion of women. In doing so, the government hopes to pre-emptively address patterns of behaviour related to extremism that could lead to acts of terror and prevent individuals from slipping through the cracks of the legal system.
The prevent duty and its expanded role
Central to the counter-extremism strategy in the UK is that Prevent duty. It was introduced in the year 2015, and Prevent requires public authorities to report individuals they believe are at risk of radicalisation. In its initial stages, it was designed to prevent Islamist and far-right extremism, but now the policy will be extended to cover those who show signs of embracing misogynistic ideologies.
The initiation to expand the scope of Prevent shows a commitment of the UK government to interrupt the pathways that lead from extreme misogyny to violence. This could mean earlier interventions, including offering support and de-radicalisation programs to individuals displaying problematic behaviours before they become even more entrenched in harmful ideologies.
A concern to address root causes and effects
Women’s rights organisations have argued that misogyny, in its most extreme form, must be treated as a severe societal issue, not just an unfortunate aspect of gender relations. This new policy move acknowledges that violent misogyny is not a private or interpersonal problem; rather, it is a national that threatens public safety.
The growing incel movement – men who blame women for their involuntary celibacy and advocate violence. It provides a stark example of how genre-based hatred can evolve into violent extremism. While the incel ideology remains niche, its rise highlights how gender-related issues intersect with societal discontent. This ultimately fuels a toxic blend of extremism that can result in mass violence, including the deadly attack in Plymouth in 2021, leaving dead of 5 people.
Reaction from activists and the public
Ever since the accouchement has been made, the new policy has drawn praise from women’s rights activists, who see it as a much-needed step towards recognising the gravity of gender-based violence. Harriet Thompson, who is a spokesperson for Women’s Aid, expressed, “We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. Misogyny isn’t just about individual acts of violence. it’s about power, control and the systemic devaluation of women… it’s a matter of public safety.”
However, critics also worry that expanding the definition of terrorism could be used to further entrench state surveillance and infringe on civil liberties. The legal scholar at the London School of Economics, namely Emma Edwards, said, “While we support the fight against gender-based violence, we must be careful about how broadly we define terrorism. There’s a real risk that this could lead to an overreach in terms of law enforcement powers.”
What are the other things the UK is up to reform?
Apart from considering extreme misogyny as a form of extremism, the UK will consider reforming several other ideological trends beyond misogyny. The country will focus on far-right extremism or right-wing extremism, referring to ideologies and movements that promote nationalist, racist and anti-immigrant as well as xenophobic news. The other things are Islamist radicalisation and incel subcultures. Countering disinformation campaigns and harmful ideologies that incite violence or undermine social cohesion is also a top priority.
International comparisons and ethical considerations
This decision taken by the UK government reflects a ground-breaking move, and it makes it one of the first countries to tackle gendered violence in this way. This comes not without some sort of controversies. Legal experts and civil rights advocates have expressed concerns about the implications of expanding the definition of terrorism to include gender-based hatred, fearing overreach or abuse of power.
The global countries have grappled with the question of how to deal with misogyny, albeit through maintaining legal frameworks. In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s government introduced sweeping legislation in 2018 in order to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence, where the government increased penalties and promoted education on gender equality. Sweden has introduced similar laws to combat domestic violence and sexual abuse. The country incorporates elements of the #MeToo movement into its legal framework. It also offers 161 shelters and two national helplines for women victims facing any kind of violence.
What other countries can learn from this stance?
UK’s attention to extreme misogyny as an extremism threat can set a new benchmark for other nations, including South Africa, the USA, England, Wales, Botswana and India. These countries can adopt similar measures assessing their countries’ trajectory on violence against populations. They can incorporate gender-based extremism into their security strategies, which can contribute to enhancing law enforcement training and developing preventive programs to counter radicalisation. It can help curb the rise of violent subcultures, including incel groups that have gained momentum online.
