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London primary schools are being encouraged to introduce healthy relationship classes as part of a new attempt to tackle the influence of Andrew Tate and combat violence against women.
Teachers will be provided with online courses and toolkits to help them run classes and workshops in every school, Sadiq Khan announced on Friday.
The move comes as research shows that young people are increasingly being exposed to misogynist influencers on social media.
One in three young males have a positive view of Tate, polling from Savanta showed, while one in ten children have watched pornography by the time they are nine, research conducted by the Children’s Commissioner last year indicated.
The Savanta survey, which spoke to 1,200 16-25 year-olds in June 2023, showed that 32 per cent of young men say they have a positive view of him, compared to just nine per cent of young women.
Tate, who has described himself as the “king of toxic masculinity”, has millions of followers on social media and regularly expresses extreme views about women.
He is currently facing charges of human trafficking, rape and exploiting women in Romania – allegations which he denies.
The toolkit is aimed at teaching pupils about healthy and respectful relationships as part a wider attempt to tackle violence against women and girls.
On Friday, the London mayor wrote to every primary school in London to highlight the importance of pupils learning about equality and respect, saying there has “never been a more important time to counter the pernicious influence of those who preach misogyny online”.
He said: “Young people must learn about respectful relationships before they start seeing content from individuals like Andrew Tate online.”
The new £1million toolkit, funded by the mayor and developed by educational experts Tender, uses workshops, drama and interactive sessions in the classroom to teach pupils between ages 9 and 11 what harmful behaviour looks like.
The toolkit will be used by primary school teachers and supported by specially trained workshop leaders, City Hall said.
Mr Khan said: “It’s never too early to start educating young Londoners about the need to treat one another fairly and kindly. And it’s important for young boys and girls to learn about equality and respect for one another.
“That’s why I have written to all primary school headteachers in the capital today to outline the support, resources and funding I’m investing from City Hall so this important training can be delivered to thousands of young Londoners.”
He said the toolkit will help teachers to “empower the next generation of Londoners to stand up to sexism and misogyny in all its forms”, adding: “There has never been a more important time to counter the pernicious influence of those who preach misogyny online.”
“I will continue to do everything within my power to ensure that ending violence against women and girls is treated with the utmost urgency both by our police, and society as a whole to build a safer London for all”, Mr Khan said.
