Boys at risk of radicalisation must be approached with compassion, not suspicion

Boys at risk of radicalisation must be approached with compassion, not suspicionAlthough well intentioned, the UK government's strategy to counter misogyny may inadvertently alienate vulnerable young men, write Brandon Sparks and Louis Bachaud Brandon Sparks, 1 Louis Bachaud 2The UK government recently released its strategy to tackle violence against women and girls: an ambitious national framework incorporating reforms across healthcare, the justice system, policing, victim support, and education. 1Media coverage has highlighted that the strategy may involve anti-misogyny courses for high risk boys and training for teachers, but no explicit reference is made to this in official policy documents. 2Hopefully, the lack of official details reflects that these plans are in early development.This intervention should be designed cautiously to avoid negative academic consequences and stigmatisation and should examine the root causes that draw boys to misogynistic attitudes and groups.