A petition to classify misogyny as a hate crime has surpassed the 100,000 signature requirement for consideration for parliamentary debate.
The petition calls for the UK Government to amend the Sentencing Act 2020 to record crimes motivated by misogyny as hate crimes, introduce tougher laws for online abuse, fund the training of police and prosecutors, and provide support for survivors in education.
It was started by Amara Relf, Union Affairs and Communications Officer at Leeds University Union, Lily Allan, Wellbeing and Communities Officer at Newcastle University Students’ Union, and Holly Thompson, Deputy President of the University of Liverpool’s Student Union.
The petition, which currently has 112,632 signatures, is now awaiting a debate date.
Relf, one of the co-leads of the petition, said: “While we felt that there were a variety of initiatives that focused on tackling gender based violence, we didn’t feel that any really incorporated the aspects of changing culture.
“I say this because this isn’t just about changing policy or the law. This is about changing the world in which we live, the country which we call home, and really ensuring that the law reflects the kind of culture we want and ensuring that misogyny is no longer an everyday experience.”
The petition comes at a time when the UK has experienced a feared rise in misogynistic attitudes, particularly amongst younger people.
According to the Parent, pupil and learner voice report released in March 2025 by the Department for Education, over half (54%) of pupils aged 11-19 surveyed said they had witnessed comments they would describe as misogynistic.
Additionally, the Youth Endowment Fund’s (YEF) Violence and Vulnerability survey 2024 revealed that 27% of all 13-17-year-olds say they’ve seen images or threats of sexual assault online, while 33% said they have encountered content that encourages violence against women and girls specifically.
Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board, said: “Violence against women and girls is a serious and growing concern across society and preventing it must start early. Understanding the role harmful sexual behaviour and misogynistic attitudes play in childhood is essential if we are to prevent harm, reduce the number of victims and make our communities safer.”
Young boys in particular are more susceptible to misogynistic views as a result of content online being pushed by popular social media algorithms. Relf tells me about an online global “rape academy” teaching men to abuse women and evade detection.
This is not the first petition to demand misogyny be treated as a hate crime. Thompson recalls an earlier petition which had failed to meet the minimum requirements for parliamentary debate.
What sets this campaign apart is the added focus on early intervention to combat misogynistic attitudes before harmful online content can assert its influence.
Thompson said: “Intervention needs to start now at primary school, which is such a shame to say, but these attitudes are becoming ingrained at such a young age due to the internet and social media algorithms.
“I think [the Netflix show] Adolescence shows how important education is at a young age because you can’t necessarily detect ingrained misogyny in a child.”
Co-lead Lily Allan further added: “But I also think holding platforms accountable [is important] as well. Misogyny spreads because it’s profitable online. It’s not accidental. There needs to be more platform responsibility for algorithms and limits on monetising hate-based content. This is a huge safeguarding issue, and people are dying as a result of it.”
Thompson, in particular, has faced a tirade of abuse online for the videos she has shared promoting the petition.
She adds: “I’ve been called every name under the sun, but to me, that just proves the point. But it’s also been really nice seeing how many men have said, ‘yeah, of course, I’ll sign this.'”
While a debate in Westminster Hall may be on the cards, the road to legislation is long and arduous. Once a debate occurs, the petition will likely need significant public support and strong MP backing to be enacted as an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill.
The petition can be found here.
Featured Image Credit: Julian Cordero (Pexels)
