​The team are seeing a common trend around toxic masculinity and a need for work with boys at secondary school age, educating them to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.

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Evidence shows that for many boys anger is the only acceptable emotion which is often used to cover a more powerful emotion such as sadness or shame. Being encouraged to suppress all other emotions can interrupt the emotional development of boys which can have a huge negative impact on their mental health. In general men report less depression than women but complete suicide at a much higher rate. There is a huge need for boys to be taught how to safely express all their emotions not only their anger.

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Through working in partnership with Dr Helen Williams of Sunderland University, a report has been pulled together to highlight the need for this work. This provides the evidence needed to strengthen our plans for a boy’s pilot to address this need.​