On October 16, actress Alyssa Milano tweeted two simple words — me too — which initiated a worldwide conversation on sexual harassment and abuse of women.
If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/k2oeCiUf9n
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017
For those who are not aware, the hashtag #MeToo encourages women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted to post ‘Me Too’ as a status with the hopes of helping people realise the magnitude of the problem.
And oh boy, do we have a problem.
I truly hope this won’t be another hashtag campaign that we get over in a few days. It’s sad to assume that we’re so de-sensitised to this form of news that it lingers momentarily, with us offering our ever-so-valuable ‘thoughts and prayers’ for a few days and then moving on to the next tragedy.
What struck a chord with this specific hashtag, for me, was that the number of my own female friends who had a “#MeToo” up on their statuses. These aren’t people I’ve never met, or people I’ll never meet. These are close friends, acquaintances, classmates and women I’ve worked with.
Do me a favour: Pause on this article a bit. Log on to Facebook, type in ‘MeToo’ in your search bar and read through those statuses. I’ll wait.
...
Done? Are you as shocked and infuriated as I am? Good.
Now, this post isn’t for the girls and women who have been through this. While my heart goes out to them, there’s absolutely nothing I can say to make everything better or nothing I can do to change what’s happened. This is for the lads. The fathers, teenagers and young boys who I hope will read this piece.
It took courage for those friends — people you know — to share their stories. What are you going to do about it? If your friends have come to you and opened up about any form of harassment or abuse, sexual or not — they trust you and it’s your responsibility to do something about it.
Speak up, with their permission and if they need your support. If not, then try this: Help create a world where this sick phenomenon is as obsolete as the plague. Fathers, lead by example. Millennials and youngsters, if you have children pledge that they’ll grow up in a world where they’ll read about this in history books.
Let’s try and start now so our children or grandchildren can have a better life. Teens, millennials, guys in general, if you claim to be woke about this situation, have you stopped your friends from any form of sexual inappropriateness, be it as simple as teasing or as drastic as taking advantage of a drunk girl?
And my question to the parents here: Have you had a chat with your sons about this? Fathers, have you led by example? We’re strict with them when it comes to studies, smoking, drugs and drinking. Can we add one more point to that list? A conversation won’t hurt.
Respect your women. < I can’t believe these three words still need to be written down in 2017.
“Oh my son knows all this already,” you might think. In 2016, the World Health Organisation claimed 1 in 3 (35 per cent) women worldwide have experienced forms of sexual abuse in their lifetime. Who do you think does it? Men who were sons. Think of three women you know including your close friends, family and colleagues. Yep one of them. One in three. If you can’t or don’t have an open, free-flowing relationship with your young sons, let them read the paragraph below.
This is absolutely (using a safe, friendly word here > ) messed up. You can make this right, if not help make it a little better. Don’t turn a blind eye to abuse — be it emotional, physical or verbal. If the majority of men spoke up, we could show the sick and depraved bunch of us that these things are not normal and put an end to this altogether.
If you see someone weaker getting physically abused by someone stronger, won’t you step in to stop it? Verbal, emotional and sexual abuse is the same thing. Abuse is abuse. Step in.
And for the boys out there who are in the know about things like this and refuse to do anything — you lot know who you are. I hope you grow a pair.
For the others, let’s do what we can. What’s best. Start now boys, until someone you love, who’s close to you opens up with a #MeToo status as well.
