Billie Piper says misogyny and violence against women won’t end by ‘telling boys they’re awful’

Billie Piper has said that “shaming” or “dismissing” young boys can only be counterproductive towards tackling misogyny and violence against women.

The 42-year-old I Hate Suzie actor was speaking at an event to mark the launch of a new short film released by the domestic abuse charity Refuge, which stars Piper as she retells the testimonies of survivors who have experienced coercive control from an abusive partner.

When asked about how young boys and girls can foster healthier relationships from an early age, Piper told the audience that she is hugely concerned and worried about the external influences facing young boys, referencing the output of the misogynistic influencer Andrew Tate.

“I think it is incredibly important that we educate our sons as well as our daughters in how to treat each other respectfully [and] equally,” she said.

“The education [on domestic abuse] has to extend to young boys. You can’t dismiss them or somehow shame them in a way that pushes them further towards these really toxic figures, because that’s really easily done.”

Piper, who has been an ambassador for Refuge since 2022, said she struggles with navigating how to oversee her children’s online consumption. The actor shares her sons Winston, 12, and Eugene, eight, with her ex-husband Laurence Fox. She shares a daughter, Tallulah, four, with Johnny Lloyd.

“There’s also an argument ‘don’t give your kid a phone’ or ‘don’t let them go online’. But you know how realistic is that?” she said. “There’s this idea... tighten up the phone. Listen, I’m in the middle of it trying to work it out myself now, so I don’t have all of the answers.”

“It’s very hard to put policing techniques on the phone and it’s hard because you’ve got to be savvy. But I think it starts with your messaging. It doesn’t start with telling boys that they’re all awful. That’s not going to work. There’s been a problem with that historically.”

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Piper stars in the short film called Make the World a Refuge, which explores the different forms that domestic abuse can take.

The film sees the actor reading real-life testimonies from survivors of domestic abuse, allowing their stories to be heard by protecting their anonymity.

The testimonies include examples of coercive control, technology-facilitated abuse and financial abuse, alongside physical violence. It shows how domestic abuse can present itself in a multitude of ways, such as tracking a survivor’s phone or isolating them from their family and friends.

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The campaign video comes as The Independent has launched an appeal with Refuge to raise £300,000 to build a safe home for women escaping abusive partners.

The charity reports that one in four women in England and Wales will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime but there is a national shortage of safe spaces, which means a woman desperate to escape is turned away from a refuge every two hours across the country.

The Brick by Brick campaign has been backed by a host of high-profile celebrities including Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Joanna Lumley, Sir Patrick Stewart, Olivia Colman and David Morrissey, who have been calling for donations to create a secure home for domestic abuse victims.

Be a brick, buy a brick and donate here or text BRICK to 70560 to donate £15.