The British police says that violence against women and girls (VAWG) has reached "epidemic levels" and is a "national emergency," with almost 3,000 cases being recorded daily across England and Wales. In a report published by the National Police Chiefs' Council in July, five "harm threats" are pinpointed: Rape and serious sexual offenses, domestic abuse, stalking, and child abuse. The figures have increased by more than a third since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Britain's new home secretary, Yvette Cooper, wants to take tougher action against misogyny and violence. In October, the Home Office, the British ministry in charge of immigration, security and law and order, will present a report on how the government can best tackle rising extremism and update the country's counter-extremism strategy. The idea is to treat extreme misogyny in a similar way to far-right or Islamist extremism. The new government believes the current guidelines are too narrowly defined, given the rise of "hateful extremism."

Misogyny is defined as the hatred of, aversion to, or prejudice against women. It can extend to violence and femicide, the gender-based murder of a woman or girl by a man.

The British police has long warned of a "deterioration of the foundations of what is needed to tackle VAWG" in the United Kingdom (UK). Deputy Chief Constable Maggie Blyth, the National Police Chiefs' Council lead on violence against women and girls,........

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