Comic Relief has handed £3.9m to seven charities and community projects to tackle “toxic masculinity", misogyny and to promote healthier relationships.

A focus is to use sport and mentorship to engage with boys and young men.

The five-year funding is being handed to charities and community organisations based in London and the West Midlands.

“The fund announcement follows a summer of widespread, important conversation about the urgent need to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls, sparked by the extraordinary global reaction to Netflix’s Emmy award-winning Adolescence,” said Comic Relief.

Among those to share the funding is Beyond Equality, which runs activities to promote gender justice and “rethink masculinities”. It will use the funding to run programmes across 11 football league clubs in London and the West Midlands.

Another is Birmingham and Solihull women’s Aid, which is partnering with Warwickshire Cricket Foundation to use cricket to promote healthy relationships and gender equality.

Meanwhile, the charity Roshni will support Black and minoritised women and young people affected by violence in Birmingham, through trauma-informed, multilingual services, including refuge, advocacy, and outreach.

“Working with young people to challenge misogyny is vital in ending violence against women and girls, and this support will enable us to use the power of sport to break down harmful attitudes, create safe spaces, and inspire lasting change,” said Roshni chief executive Surwat Sohail.

“Together, we can empower communities to stand up for equality, respect, and a future free from violence.”

Others to receive funding are The Change Foundation, Fight for Peace, Football Beyond Borders and Respect.

Supporting the funding commitment is Paris St Germain and former England goalkeeper Mary Earps, who said: “Violence against women and girls is an epidemic – harassment, toxic masculinity, misogyny, coercion, anxiety, fear, it keeps growing.

“This work will create strong role models in our communities, promote healthy attitudes, and build a safer world for women and girls so everyone can thrive.”

Comic Relief chief executive Samir Patel added: “With violence against women and girls at crisis levels in the UK, and public concern at an all-time high, we are proud to launch our first ever programme that uses sport and education to work with boys and girls in their formative years, to promote healthier relationships, positive masculinity and gender equality.

“By bringing together young people, teachers, community leaders and role models, we aim build a future where girls and women feel safer, and where boys and men are supported to be part of the change.”

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