Labour unveils plans to increase prison sentences for men committing misogyny-driven crimes across England and Wales to tackle rising violence against women and girls

Labour is moving to ensure that crimes motivated by hatred of women are treated with the seriousness they deserve.

Under the party’s proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill, men who commit offenses driven by misogyny could face much tougher sentences than they do at present.

The proposals aim to formally recognise misogyny as an aggravating factor in criminal law, meaning courts would have the power to impose harsher penalties on offenders who target women because of their sex.

Making Misogyny an Aggravated Offence

Currently, courts can increase sentences when hostility is proven, a practice known as a sentencing uplift.

But Labour argues that this is not enough.

By formally adding misogyny as an aggravating factor, the hostility would become part of the charge itself, giving it legal weight and allowing for higher maximum sentences.

Under the new proposals, crimes motivated by hatred of women could carry sentences of up to two years in prison, compared with a maximum of six months for non-aggravated common assault.

The government believes this change will make misogyny visible in the legal system and emphasise that crimes rooted in hatred deserve stronger consequences.

Expanding Hate Crime Protections

The proposed reforms are not limited to misogyny alone.

They also cover crimes directed at people based on their sexuality, gender identity, or disability.

Ministers wrote to the House of Lords stating that the changes are intended to ensure tackling misogyny is part of a wider government strategy to address hate crime.

By bringing sex-based hostility in line with race and religion, which are already recognised as aggravating factors in crimes like disorderly behaviour, stalking, and criminal damage, the government hopes to create a more equitable approach to hate crime law.

The Road to the Amendment

Labour’s push for tougher hate crime laws has been in the works for several years.

Early proposals surfaced when the party was in opposition, and the amendment was initially linked to Rachel Taylor, who served as Minister for Policing and Crime.

She proposed that disability, sexuality, and gender identity should be treated as aggravating factors, citing police records showing over 30,000 hate crimes in those categories between March 2024 and March 2025.

While Taylor expressed delight at the proposal’s inclusion in the bill, the government has gone further than her original suggestion by formally including sex as an aggravating factor, marking a significant step forward in recognising the seriousness of crimes against women.

Violence Against Women Remains a Major Issue

The timing of these proposals reflects the scale of the problem.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council reports that violence against women and girls accounts for just under 20 percent of all crime in England and Wales, and that such offenses are on the rise.

Statistically, around one in every twelve women is expected to fall victim to some form of violence each year.

Labour’s proposals come against a backdrop of long-standing efforts to tackle violence against women, including domestic abuse legislation, new protections against stalking, and wider policing strategies, all of which highlight the ongoing challenges faced by women and girls.

Online Influence and Young Boys

Part of the concern stems from changing social attitudes among young boys, particularly exposure to harmful online subcultures.

Teachers have raised alarms about misogynistic content online, including proponents of the “incel” movement and influencers promoting anti-women rhetoric.

These trends are seen as shaping negative attitudes at a formative age and contributing to future incidents of violence, making early intervention and legal reform a critical focus.

Cultural Reflections

Misogyny has also entered mainstream consciousness through media.

The Netflix drama Adolescence highlighted the disturbing realities of misogyny among young people.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the show as “hard to watch,” noting that it prompted difficult conversations with his own children about gendered violence and respect.

Media portrayals like this help to underline the urgency of legal measures that specifically target misogynistic crimes.

Support from Advocacy Groups

The government’s proposed changes have drawn praise from advocacy groups.

Anti-abuse charity Galop described the amendment as a “landmark moment for hate crime equality,” while Simon Blake, CEO of Stonewall, welcomed the proposals at a time when members of the LGBT+ community feel increasingly vulnerable.

These endorsements highlight the wider social impact of the reforms and the importance of ensuring that hate crimes are treated with seriousness and consistency.

Other Reforms in the Crime and Policing Bill

Alongside the misogyny amendment, the government is also taking steps to reform non-crime hate incidents, known as NCHIs.

Critics have argued that these were sometimes used to suppress free speech despite not involving criminal activity.

Early measures in the bill aim to dismantle or reshape the NCHI system, signalling the government’s intention to make hate crime laws both tougher and clearer.

What’s Next?

The amendment still needs to pass through Parliament as part of the wider Crime and Policing Bill.

It will face debate in both the House of Lords and the Commons, and may undergo revisions before final approval.

Policymakers will also need to clarify how police and prosecutors will prove misogyny as a motive in court.

If successful, these measures would mark a significant step forward in treating misogyny as a serious hate crime issue rather than merely a social concern.

Summary

Labour’s proposals would make crimes motivated by hatred of women aggravated offences, allowing courts to impose sentences of up to two years and putting misogyny on the same legal footing as race and religion in terms of criminal aggravation.

The reforms extend protections to LGBT+ individuals and disabled victims, respond to rising concerns about online influence on young boys, and address the broader societal challenge of violence against women and girls.

Advocacy groups have hailed the changes as historic, and if passed, the legislation could fundamentally reshape the UK’s approach to hate crime.