You have probably seen the #MeToo hashtag posted by many of your Facebook friends in the past day or so. If you're active on Twitter you’ve probably noticed this hashtag trending there as well. In wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal, this hashtag started to trend – to dispel the silence that surrounds sexual assault. Here is what it is all about:
Since early October, reports of Weinstein’s misconduct put increasing pressure on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to take action against the man for dozens of allegations of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct. He has now been expelled from the Academy, which wishes to send out a strong message against “sexually predatory behavior and workplace harassment” in the industry.
The idea is to lift the veil of silence over sexual harassment and assault, to start a conversation around it to make people realize the sheer magnitude of the problem. #MeToo became a global trend on social media as more and more women came forward to share their stories.
The trend touched a chord with many who were unwilling to come forward with their stories. It was all about support and the solidarity of victims/survivors. It is actually quite incredible how many women have suffered: from lewd comments to gropes and pinching to harassment to violent rape – in private and public spaces – from known people and from strangers.
Many women shared how it was many different men on many different occasions who had subjected them to harassment or assault. Sometimes it was by threat or coercion, at times force. Women shared how the effects of tend to linger for a long time and can be scarring.
Society has long placed the onus of preventing rapes on the victims rather than the perpetrators. Several tweets sought to clarify the issue. The concept of consent was also clarified – because “No means No” is not clear enough for many.
Various aspects of sexual misdemeanors came to the fore in the ensuing discussion. When women have to give explanations or excuses for not wanting to engage in sex, this highlights the fact that men respect men more than women and if they are deterred, it is because of their reluctance to ‘poach’ on ‘another’s preserves’ rather than honoring the wishes of the woman herself.
Men on social media have been supportive and sympathetic to what so many women undergo routinely. People were also acknowledging the fact if someone was not posting with the #MeToo hashtag, that didn’t mean they were not harassed or attacked; merely that “survivors don’t owe you their story”.
If there is a silence shrouding women’s stories of sexual harassment and assault, there is probably an even bigger silence shrouding the stories of men and trans people. Because people tend to dismiss or ridicule these stories, they are all the more heart rending – and all the more deserving of our attention and empathy.
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