We created the #MeToo movement. Now it's time for #HerToo
2017 will be remembered as the year of #MeToo, a historic moment when women came together to publicly share their stories of sexual assault, abuse, harassment, and misconduct at the hands of powerful figures. The #MeToo hashtag spread on social media in October 2017 as a consequence of sexual misconduct accusations against popular Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. The hashtag took off after actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women who had experienced sexual mistreatment to say so under the banner of “me too”. Milano wrote: “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” In the next 48 hours, nearly a million people used the #MeToo hashtag and since then, it has been used by over 500,000, including many celebrities. Milano’s #MeToo tweet helped launch a new solidarity among millions of women who shared their accounts of sexual violence and harassment. The #MeToo movement, however, is not a new phenomenon. The original #MeToo campaign was launched in 2007 by social activist Tarana Burke aiming to provide support to survivors of sexual violence who were marginalized, poor, underrepresented and without a network or community to protect them.
But sexual abuse is nothing new. Violence against women and girls is a global pandemic. UNICEF’s recent report “A Familiar Face: Violence in the Lives of Children and Adolescents”, released after We created the #MeToo movement. Now it's time for #HerToo
2017 will be remembered as the year of #MeToo, a historic moment when women came together to publicly share their stories of sexual assault, abuse, harassment, and misconduct at the hands of powerful figures. The #MeToo hashtag spread on social media in October 2017 as a consequence of sexual misconduct accusations against popular Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. The hashtag took off after actress Alyssa Milano encouraged women who had experienced sexual mistreatment to say so under the banner of “me too”. Milano wrote: “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet.” In the next 48 hours, nearly a million people used the #MeToo hashtag and since then, it has been used by over 500,000, including many celebrities. Milano’s #MeToo tweet helped launch a new solidarity among millions of women who shared their accounts of sexual violence and harassment. The #MeToo movement, however, is not a new phenomenon. The original #MeToo campaign was launched in 2007 by social activist Tarana Burke aiming to provide support to survivors of sexual violence who were marginalized, poor, underrepresented and without a network or community to protect them.
But sexual abuse is nothing new. Violence against women and girls is a global pandemic. UNICEF’s recent report “A Familiar Face: Violence in the Lives of Children and Adolescents”, released after #MeToo, offers shocking statistics about the state of violence against women and girls around the world. Globally, 90% of adolescent girls who have been sexually abused know their attacker. Fifteen million adolescent girls worldwide between age 15 and 19 have experienced rape or other sexual abuse. Nine million girls have experienced sexual abuse in just the past year. Only 1% of them asked for help.
Consequently, this moment in history cannot belong solely to the Silence Breakers who have the opportunity to speak out. For every woman and girl who has been empowered to say #MeToo countless others are too afraid to break their silence. Therefore, with the #HerToo movement, UNICEF intends to help give voice to those who can’t – girls and women who suffer in silence. When we speak up to protect the rights of girls and women, we are not only preventing their suffering – we are protecting our shared future. When all girls do better, we all do better.
Fragment adapted from The Guardian, December 2017
offers shocking statistics about the state of violence against women and girls around the world. Globally, 90% of adolescent girls who have been sexually abused know their attacker. Fifteen million adolescent girls worldwide between age 15 and 19 have experienced rape or other sexual abuse. Nine million girls have experienced sexual abuse in just the past year. Only 1% of them asked for help.
Consequently, this moment in history cannot belong solely to the Silence Breakers who have the opportunity to speak out. For every woman and girl who has been empowered to say #MeToo countless others are too afraid to break their silence. Therefore, with the #HerToo movement, UNICEF intends to help give voice to those who can’t – girls and women who suffer in silence. When we speak up to protect the rights of girls and women, we are not only preventing their suffering – we are protecting our shared future. When all girls do better, we all do better.
Fragment adapted from The Guardian, December 2017