There is a “really concerning” rise in sexual violence among 14- and 15-year-olds that policymakers need to take “very seriously”, Home Office minister Jess Phillips has told Sky News.
Speaking to Sky News’ Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge, Ms Phillips, who holds the safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG) portfolio, suggested that “generational progression” on feminism and the advancement of women does not appear to be continuing with her sons’ generation.
She said that “what our children are exposed to online absolutely is something that troubles me and troubles the government”, but argued that banning smartphones in schools is not necessarily the answer.
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Asked by Sky’s Sophy Ridge if she is worried about men being radicalised online in relation to how they view women, Ms Phillips replied: “If I look at the data of the growing number of sexual violence cases amongst the age group 14 and 15, as a policymaker, you have to take very seriously the growing number of cases.”
That age group are both the victims in these cases and the perpetrators.
The minister was clear that she is “very alive to not wanting to just make all boys feel like they are the problem”.
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Nonetheless, she said it is the government’s responsibility to ensure that all possible measures are in place “to look at what is happening with our teenagers and make sure that we are providing the education, and also the protection and prevention”.
‘Generational progression’ has halted
More broadly, Ms Phillips said: “If you look at the data and attitudes around things like feminism and the advancement of women, there are really concerning trends.
“And I think we always thought it would just progressively get better. And it’s no comment on either my father, my husband or my sons who are all absolutely cracking men, which is what most people would say about all of the men in their lives.
“But that generational progression was the thing we expected. But we have to look at the data and the concerns and the fears amongst… whether it’s extreme violence perpetrated by teenagers, and like I’ve already said, the sexual violence figures, and really take that on board.”
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Ministers ‘troubled’ by what young people see online
A ban on smartphones in schools is the subject of vast debate at the moment, with shadow education secretary Laura Trott campaigning on it. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson is reviewing the data around schools that have implemented a ban using their existing powers.
But Ms Phillips suggested that it is not the answer to the issue of sexual violence among teenagers.
She told Sophy Ridge: “I’m concerned about what our teenagers are exposed to and what they’re falling victim to. And if I thought that there was real evidence of them being in school, then absolutely. I would be campaigning for that.
“What our children are exposed to online absolutely is something that troubles me and troubles the government, and you cannot just say ‘ban it’.”
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She added that “we have to be providing an alternative narrative for our young people”.
The minister pointed to the Online Safety Act as a key measure the government is taking to protect young people online, and went on to say that we need to be “making sure that our children are educated about things like misogyny, healthy relationships”.
Watch the full interview on Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge at 7pm.
