Extreme misogyny will be treated as a form of extremism under new government plans, the Home Office said.
Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, has ordered a review of the UK’s counter-extremism strategy to determine how best to tackle threats posed by harmful ideologies.
The analysis will look at hatred of women as one of the ideological trends that the government says is gaining traction.
Ms Cooper said there has been a rise in extremism “both online and on our streets” that “frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy”.
The review will look at the rise of Islamist and far-right extremism in the UK, as well as wider ideological trends, including extreme misogyny or beliefs which fit into broader categories, such as violence.
It will also look at the causes and conduct of radicalisation of young people.
Ms Cooper said the strategy will “map and monitor extremist trends” to work out how to disrupt and divert people away from them.
It will also “identify any gaps in existing policy which need to be addressed to crack down on those pushing harmful and hateful beliefs and violence”, she said.
Ms Cooper said that action against extremism has been “badly hollowed out” in recent years.
The work will inform a new counter-extremism strategy, which was promised in Labour’s manifesto and which the Home Office says will “respond to growing and changing patterns” of extremism across the UK.
The review is expected to be completed this autumn and unveiled by the Home Office next year.
