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 .