The Importance of the #MeToo Movement

In the recent months the #MeToo movement has taken off on social media platforms. People of all walks of life are beginning to share their experiences with assault, an otherwise taboo subject. The impact of assault has been downplayed by society for decades, ignored and pushed under the carpet. Rather victims hid in the shadows feeling embarrassed for being a victim of a situation brought on to them at the hands of another person. Last night my Mom shared her own Me Too moment with me, a seemingly minor incident that has stayed with her for 35 years. She had been interviewing a man for her job, it was her last interview before catching a plane back to California. Innocently enough the man asked if they could share a cab as his apartment was in the same direction as the airport, my Mom agreed. Half way into the ride the man placed his hand on her knee, when she removed it he put it back on, and it continued that way until she placed her bag on her knee to block his hand. When they reached the airport he asked if he could buy her a drink. Looking back on it she told me she felt embarrassed about not being able to stand up for herself at least alert the driver. It is that sort of embarrassment that hampers people's willingness to speak out about what has happened to them as they don't want to be thought of as weak for letting such assaults happen. The #MeToo movement gives survivors the platform to share their stories no matter how big or small. Being able to see other survivors share their stories with such massive positive response, will hopefully help others continue coming forward with their stories and raise awareness to the reality of sexual assault.