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#MeToo: Twitter users speak out about sexual harassment

Warning: this article discusses sexual harassment and abuse. It’s a simple phrase. #metoo. Ever since the New York Times broke the story about the disturbing sexual abuse allegedly committed by Harvey Weinstein, women everywhere have been coming forward with their […]

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WRITTEN BY Claudia Poposki / Edited BY Jade Parker
19 October 2017 , 8 minutes to read

Warning: this article discusses sexual harassment and abuse.

It’s a simple phrase. #metoo.

Ever since the New York Times broke the story about the disturbing sexual abuse allegedly committed by Harvey Weinstein, women everywhere have been coming forward with their stories.

Teen Vogue has published a full list of Weinstein’s accusers. Amongst it, Ashley Judd, who was the first to speak out.

Rose McGowan, who after calling out men she believed helped cover up or lied about knowledge of this harassment, was banned from Twitter. 

Cara Delevingne posted a series of Instagram posts alleging,

“He then invited me to his room. I quickly declined and asked his assistant if my car was outside. She said it wasn’t and wouldn’t be for a bit and I should go to his room. At that moment I felt very powerless and scared but didn’t want to act that way hoping that I was wrong about the situation.

“When I arrived I was relieved to find another woman in his room and thought immediately I was safe. He asked us to kiss and she began some sort of advances upon his direction. I swiftly got up and asked him if he knew that I could sing.”

She continued with,

“I still got the part for the film and always thought that he gave it to me because of what happened. Since then I felt awful that I did the movie. I felt like I didn’t deserve the part. I was so hesitant about speaking out….I didn’t want to hurt his family. I felt guilty as if I did something wrong. I was also terrified that this sort of thing had happened to so many women I know but no one had said anything because of fear.”

When I first started to work as an actress, i was working on a film and I received a call from‎ Harvey Weinstein asking if I had slept with any of the women I was seen out with in the media. It was a very odd and uncomfortable call….i answered none of his questions and hurried off the phone but before I hung up, he said to me that If I was gay or decided to be with a woman especially in public that I'd never get the role of a straight woman or make it as an actress in Hollywood. A year or two later, I went to a meeting with him in the lobby of a hotel with a director about an upcoming film. The director left the meeting and Harvey asked me to stay and chat with him. As soon as we were alone he began to brag about all the actresses he had slept with and how he had made their careers and spoke about other inappropriate things of a sexual nature. He then invited me to his room. I quickly declined and asked his assistant if my car was outside. She said it wasn't and wouldn't be for a bit and I should go to his room. At that moment I felt very powerless and scared but didn't want to act that way hoping that I was wrong about the situation. When I arrived I was relieved to find another woman in his room and thought immediately I was safe. He asked us to kiss and she began some sort of advances upon his direction. I swiftly got up and asked him if he knew that I could sing. And I began to sing….i thought it would make the situation better….more professional….like an audition….i was so nervous. After singing I said again that I had to leave. He walked me to the door and stood in front of it and tried to kiss me on the lips. I stopped him and managed to get out of the room. I still got the part for the film and always thought that he gave it to me because of what happened. Since then I felt awful that I did the movie. I felt like I didn't deserve the part. I was so hesitant about speaking out….I didn't want to hurt his family. I felt guilty as if I did something wrong. I was also terrified that this sort of thing had happened to so many women I know but no one had said anything because of fear.

A post shared by Cara Delevingne (@caradelevingne) on

Now, the world is having their say. Remember the #YesAllWomen? Well, in the wake of everything, Alyssa Milano tweeted this:

In 2014, on May 25th, the #YesAllWomen phrase was used in 61,500 tweets. The day Milano’s tweet went out, it was retweeted 17,000 times and #MeToo was used 109, 451 times on Twitter, according to data obtained by Mashable.

That doesn’t include Facebook posts, or sharing with friends privately or Instagram – this was on Twitter alone. It is utterly heartbreaking to see that no matter your race, sexual orientation, age or anybody’ preconceived idea about your gender, this affects so many people. Not everyone will feel comfortable speaking out. Not everyone will use the hashtag and explain the horrific horror that happened to them. Some people are tired of talking about their abuse.

It’s why we’ll never know how many people have truly been attacked. Many don’t report it. Several won’t even make it to court, and even fewer will actually end in conviction.

According to a new.com.au article, in 2009 and 2010, of the 3500 rape cases that were reported Victorian Police, only 3% ended in a court conviction.

It gives you little hope. These women who have spoken up, however, give hope. They show that you never should be afraid. That you’re definitely not alone.

#metoo.

note: some of the language in this article was edited for clarity post publication