 "#MeToo: Women share their experiences of sexual assault, start social media movement")
Millions of women across the world have been sharing their experiences of sexual harassment and abuse in an online campaign using the hashtag #MeToo on Twitter and Facebook. The social media meme was sparked by Charmed actress Alyssa Milano on Sunday, who asked her followers to reply “me too” if they had ever been sexually harassed or assaulted.
It was a reaction to sexual abuse allegations against film mogul Harvey Weinstein, who has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone. Milano’s original tweet received over 37,000 comments, and the hashtag was one of the top trends on Twitter in Britain and the United States. On Facebook, around 7 million people were discussing #MeToo on Monday afternoon. In India also, the hashtag was trending on Twitter and Facebook for a very long time.
Happy to see men sharing #MeToo stories. Acknowledging that sexual abuse is not a women’s problem, but everyone’s problem, is important.
— Khushi🌹 (@khushii_p) October 16, 2017
instead of telling young women to dress appropriately, teach young men to NOT rape, that NO means NO and to love accordingly. #MeToo
— Bindas Ladki (@bindasladki) October 16, 2017
Impact Shorts
More ShortsIn Saudi they behead men who rape. In China they castrate them. In North Korea it’s the firing squad. In India all we can do is say #MeToo.
— Meghna Pant (@MeghnaPant) October 16, 2017
I doubt any woman is that lucky that she won’t get flashed at/sexually assaulted/abused/raped/molested at least once in her lifetime.#MeToo
— Shunali Khullar Shroff (@shunalishroff) October 16, 2017
ME TOO.
— Shenaz Treasury (@ShenazTreasury) October 16, 2017
If all the women who have been sexually harassed wrote "Me too" as a status, we might give people a sense of the problem#metoo
The number of #metoo stories being shared are too many and also very disturbing. Humanity has failed.
— Manasi Pathak (@ManasiPathak_) October 16, 2017
I don't know a single man in India, who can stand up and say that he hasn't been victimised due to gender biased assumptions. #MeToo
— Bhaskar Vatsa (@bhaskar_vats) October 16, 2017
#meToo - the first time was in the 4th standard. the postman who tried to pinch non existent breasts.
— Harini Calamur (@calamur) October 16, 2017
I remember how gobsmacked my dad was, when my mum and me were discussing the harassment we deal with on a ridiculously regular basis #MeToo
— Neha Sumitran (@Nehasumitran) October 16, 2017
#MeToo. On the local train; at the bus stop; over the phone; at work. And these are only those moments I registered in real time, and now remember. The rest, I realised in hindsight.
— Reetika Revathy Subramanian (@reetiks) October 16, 2017
If you are a man who's feeling overwhelmed reading about the #MeToo stories, break your silence, be an ally, tell us why with #IHearYou
— Rituparna Chatterjee (@MasalaBai) October 16, 2017
My first 'cousin' got drunk & insisted that I sleep next to him on a single mattress cuz we barely meet and we should be bonding #MeToo
— Aishwarya (@Ayesoreya) October 16, 2017
Where to begin? A man once reached into my autorickshaw outside New Delhi Railway Station, hit me hard on the chest & disappeared. #MeToo
— Anna MM Vetticad (@annavetticad) October 16, 2017
#MeToo A man I once turned to for help assaulted me to show me how much he cared,Find strength in voices of this campaign.Time we're heard https://t.co/eej6JGZDr9
— Maya Mirchandani 🇮🇳 (@maya206) October 16, 2017
You know if a girl tells you she’s been sexually harassed, what’s the best thing you could say to her? I BELIEVE YOU.#MeToo
— Nikita Jain Doshi (@Nikitajain2091) October 16, 2017
From the entertainment industry across the world names like singer Lady Gaga, Oscar-winning actress Anna Paquin and Westworld actress Evan Rachel Wood took part in the online campaign. Wood described being raped by an unnamed individual.
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) October 15, 2017
Also, any men who wish to show their support for .@rosemcgowan and all the other victims please join #WomenBoycottTwitter #boycotttwitter
— Anna Paquin (@AnnaPaquin) October 13, 2017
Some men who said they were also victims of sexual assault took to the social media to share their stories, including one of the stars of Broadway musical Hamilton, Javier Munoz. In France, where prevalent sexism has regularly triggered calls to end a code of silence, journalist Sandra Muller sparked a similar outpouring of sharing under the hashtags #balancetonporc and the phrase’s English equivalent, #squealonyourpig. Radio journalist Anais Dent was one of those sharing her story, writing: “First journalism internship in Paris, I was 18. The editor in chief kisses me against my will. He’d just had a baby. #balancetonporc.” Here are some of the posts shared from across the world:
Reminder that if a woman didn't post #MeToo, it doesn't mean she wasn't sexually assaulted or harassed. Survivors don't owe you their story.
— Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) October 16, 2017
Men,
— Nick Jack Pappas (@pappiness) October 16, 2017
Don't say you have a mother, a sister, a daughter...
Say you have a father, a brother, a son who can do better.
We all can.#MeToo
You are not alone. We are in this together. #MeToo
— Women's March (@womensmarch) October 17, 2017
Today’s #SignOfResistance is by @juanamedina. pic.twitter.com/2C4yPtwh1j
#MeToo
— Raquel Willis (@Raquel__Willis) October 17, 2017
& more than once.
& just this year.
& before my transition.
& after my transition.
& these are all the words i have for now.
#MeToo because I was a kid and I thought home was a safe place for me. I've been in denial the whole time but not anymore.
— Shamau Rasheed (@shamaurasheed) October 17, 2017
#MeToo. Because it is sad that I don't know one female who has not been sexually harassed in her lifetime. pic.twitter.com/jDQVv0knTe
— Caroline (Taylor’s Version) (@carolineconaway) October 17, 2017
With inputs from Reuters
