Teachers at secondary schools across the South are set to receive specialist training under new government plans aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.
The initiative is designed to better equip teachers with the knowledge and confidence to address issues around consent, healthy relationships and the sharing of intimate images. Ministers say education has a key role to play in preventing abuse by helping young people understand boundaries, respect and personal responsibility from an early age.
Under the plans, secondary school staff will receive tailored guidance and resources to support classroom discussions on consent, online safety and respectful behaviour. The training will also help teachers recognise warning signs of harmful behaviour and provide appropriate support to pupils who may be at risk.
The government says the move forms part of a wider strategy to reduce violence against women and girls, which includes improving early intervention, strengthening the criminal justice response and changing attitudes that allow abuse to continue.
Campaigners have long argued that schools play a vital role in challenging harmful stereotypes and behaviours, particularly as young people spend more time online and are increasingly exposed to risks such as image-based abuse and coercive control.
By focusing on education and prevention, ministers hope the training will help create safer school environments and contribute to long-term cultural change. The government says ensuring pupils leave school with a clear understanding of consent and healthy relationships is essential in building safer communities.
Details on how the training will be rolled out across the South are expected to be announced in the coming months, with schools encouraged to take part as part of their existing relationships, sex and health education programmes.
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