The government hopes that by tackling the early roots of misogyny, it will prevent young men from becoming violent abusers.
Under the new plans, schools will send high-risk students to get extra care and support, including behavioural courses to tackle their prejudice against women and girls.
“Every parent should be able to trust that their daughter is safe at school, online and in her relationships, but too often, toxic ideas are taking hold early and going unchallenged,” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said about the new measures.
“This government is stepping in sooner – backing teachers, calling out misogyny, and intervening when warning signs appear to stop harm before it starts.”
The taxpayer will foot £16m of the bill, while the government says it is working closely with philanthropists and other partners on an innovation fund for the remaining £4m.
Nearly 40% of teenagers in relationships are victims of abuse, domestic abuse charity Reducing the Risk has said.
Online influencers are partly blamed for feeding this, with nearly one in five boys aged 13 to 15 said to hold a positive view of the self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew Tate, according to a YouGov poll.
In response to the government plans, some teachers said schools are already doing the kind of work the measures outline.
“While we welcome any initiative that prioritises healthy relationships and consent education, it’s important to recognise that schools like Beacon Hill Academy in Dudley have been delivering this work effectively for years,” Principal Sukhjot Dhami said.
“The challenge isn’t starting from scratch: it’s ensuring that this £20m pounds is spent wisely and in partnership with schools already leading the way.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said it was positive the government was recognising the importance of training and support for school staff.
Whiteman said “schools are just part of the solution”, with government, health, social care, police and parents all having a “significant contribution to make too”.
Pepe Di’Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the government’s focus, but added it was also essential that the government “introduces effective measures to prevent at source the spread of online misogynistic content which is served up to young people by social media algorithms”.