Alyssa Milano Starts Survivor Hashtag #MeToo to Show the Prevalence of Sexual Violence

 (Content Warning: Discussion of sexual violence)

[UPDATE: We attribute the movement to Alyssa Milano in this article, but have since learned that Tarana Burke started a movement called Me Too over a decade ago. We write about it here.]

Trending on Twitter today is the hashtag #MeToo, a movement of survivors sharing their stories in order to express the magnitude of sexual assault today.

Beginning with actress Alyssa Milano who shared an image that reads, “Suggested by a friend: ‘If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too.’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

I’ve been seeing survivors feel guilty that they’re not talking about their own personal experiences amidst everything, and others who have been urging them to come forward. A gentle reminder that not everyone is at a place where they are ready or safe to talk about their experiences, and that doesn’t make their pain or contributions any less valid.

If you’re surprised by the number of #MeToo’s appearing online today from those around you, keep in mind that the number is likely even higher. Like “My Harvey Weinstein,” #MeToo shows sexual harassment and violence is an urgent and prevalent problem that does not begin or end with Hollywood.

(image: ABC)

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Charline Jao

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