Today in Focus Deepfakes and pornography: the plan to tackle toxic masculinity – The Latest
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Dec 18, 2025 Alexandra Topping, a Senior reporter at The Guardian specializing in crime and gendered violence, dives into the UK government's new strategy to combat violence against women and girls. She highlights alarming statistics and the pressing need for consent education in schools. The conversation addresses the influence of online misogyny, particularly from figures like Andrew Tate, and the dangers of deepfakes. Topping also discusses vital funding for victim services and the challenges posed by overburdened support systems.
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Three-Pronged National Strategy
- The government's strategy targets victims, perpetrators and prevention in schools as a unified approach to reduce violence against women and girls.
- Focusing on youth education recognises early cultural drivers of misogyny amplified online.
Online Culture Amplifies Misogyny
- Teachers and parents worry that easy access to violent pornography and influencers like Andrew Tate normalize degrading behaviour for boys.
- The online environment changes expression and amplification of longstanding misogyny, making it harder to escape.
Education Is Core Prevention
- Education on consent, image-sharing risks and healthy relationships is presented as simple but essential prevention work.
- The strategy treats early education as central to achieving long-term reductions in violence.