Compulsory domestic abuse lessons for over 16s could help 'prevent misogynistic murders', MPs told

MPs could play a part in preventing misogynist murders and violence against women, a domestic abuse campaigner has said, ahead of an expected vote on whether or not to make domestic abuse lessons compulsory for school pupils aged over 16.

MP Zarah Sultana, who was suspended from the Labour Party over the two-child benefit cap, has put forward an amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill which would change the law to extend sex education and PSHE to 16-18-year-olds still in education.

The speaker has provisionally selected Sultana’s amendment for a vote on Tuesday (18 March). If MPs vote it through, the change will become law.

Faustine Petron, who began the Make It Mandatory campaign to introduce compulsory post-16 relationships and sex education, said it could help Starmer make good on his pledge to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.

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“We’re seeing more and more violence against women and girls,” Petron told Big Issue. “We’re calling for this education because we think it could prevent misogynistic murders.

“We don’t see any urgency from the government in preventing this happening,” she added. “It’s all very well to deal with the aftermath, but our campaign really comes from a point of not wanting anyone to experience it in the first place.”

Petron, who was named a Big Issue Changemaker in 2024, began her campaign after being in an abusive relationship from the age of 16 to 20.

Currently, compulsory sex education ends when pupils leave school at 16 and go on to further education.

Data shows an increasing divide between young people on issues like the impact of feminism and terms like “toxic masculinity”. A third of young men believe feminism is harming society and have a favourable view of Andrew Tate.

Women and men aged 16 to 19 were the most likely of any age group to experience domestic abuse.

In the day before he raped and murdered his ex-girlfriend and murdered her mother, Kyle Clifford searched for Andrew Tate’s podcast – and prosecutors during his trial said the “violent misogyny promoted by Tate” was of the same type as “fuelled” his crimes.

Sultana is bringing the potential law change forward after the campaign, led by Make It Mandatory, the sexual health charity Brook, End Violence Against Women and the Sex Education Forum.

Lucy Emmerson, chief executive of the Sex Education Forum, said the current cut-off came at a crucial age, when young people would be often entering into intimate relationships for the first time.

“When you are in that inbetween stage, these are the really crucial times when you might be getting into intimate relationships for the first time,” Emmerson told Big Issue.

“Stopping at 16 is really risky. And there might be some people who missed out on information at school, or have additional needs, and need that information to be really accessible to them at that point.”

Extra education could help balance what children learn on social media, Emmerson added, with the chance to talk to trusted adults and model healthy relationships and communication.

“It’s vital that lots of MPs understand why it’s there, how it can make a difference, how it can contribute to the government’s own commitment to end violence against women and girls in a decade. These sorts of preventative measures would make a difference,” Emmerson said.

“It’s a relatively inexpensive way of protecting the public and preventing harm.”

 In 2023, the Women and Equalities committee told the Conservative government to make the change – but after a delay to its response, the government simply said it would consider the recommendation.

Schools minister Robbie Gibb refused to meet with Petron and the CEO of domestic abuse charity Refuge said the response was “disappointing”. Despite Tory MP and chair of the Women and Equalities Committee Caroline Nokes urging the government to “crack on” and change the law, it did not happen.

Petron added: “I’m yet to hear much happening in terms of prevention. We’ve seen things increase in terms of sentencing, but we’re not seeing enough early intervention.

“For this government, there is no change from the previous government. When they speak about domestic abuse, they still talk about adults. It’s an uncomfortable reality, but it’s the truth so we have to face up to it.”

Petron said: “Having been in an abusive relationship when I was 16, it’s very hard to rebuild your life afterwards at any age whether you’re an adult or a child.”

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