One year on from #MeToo
One year ago an exposé published in The New Yorker magazine carried the shocking accusation by Lucia Evans that movie producer Harvey Weinstein had forced her to perform oral sex. This allegation was preceded by a story in the New York Times by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, reporting allegations that Weinstein had paid women for their silence after sexually harassing them.
As interest in the accusations swelled, the actress Alyssa Milano posted to Twitter, “If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet,” precipitating thousands of people to revive the slogan originally coined in 2006 by the activist Tarana Burke. #MeToo became the mantra echoing across social media for a campaign rebuking gender-based abuse.
One year ago the issue of sexual violence sprung to the forefront of public consciousness, but what has changed? For those at the centre of this narrative, both the survivors and campaigners charged with leading the battle these last 12 months, it feels like a lot has changed, but at the same time, nothing has.
Harvey Weinstein
It would be impossible to write this piece without discussing the antagonist of this saga. Harvey Weinstein, around whom the anthesis of the movement first bloomed, is one step closer to escaping the justice which the #MeToo campaign calls for. During a span of three decades, 80 women have come forward accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct. Of those 80 accusations, six have made it to court. Of the six cases the embattled movie producer has been charged with, one of them has already been dismissed.
Brett Kavanaugh
As Brett Kavanaugh had his seat on the supreme court confirmed, many protesters flooded the streets brandishing signs bearing the empowering words: “me too”. It has sparked concerns among activists that perhaps Kavanaugh’s quelling of the allegations is just a minor foretaste of the justice Weinstein might too escape.
For many, Kavanaugh’s ascension to the supreme court highlighted that the cost of allegations for the accused is a trifling sum, while the price for the victim coming forward remains dear. Christine Ford has shared the death threats she and her family have endured in their quest for justice.
Whilst the conclusion of this particular allegation has an overbearing tone of injustice, Ford has seen an outpouring of support spring from the ashes of defeat. Many campaigners are undeterred from this twist in the tale — focussing their attention on the midterm elections in November.
Louis C.K.
Acclaimed comedian Louis C.K. admitted to the sexual misconduct allegations which were raised against him last year. In reparation, he chose to step away from the limelight and take a “career break” — but C.K. returned to the stage after only nine months in exile. In an attempt to sweep up the shards of his career from the place where it shattered last year, he neglected to mention the allegations — or make any reference to the controversy surrounding his return to comedy. It seems Louis C.K. weathered a torrent of criticism and expected to come out the other side bone dry. Unfortunately for the comedian, the residue of his past dampened his performance, as customers walked out mid-show and received full refunds from the venue.
The effects of the #MeToo campaign triggered a shockwave across the world: the movement was a means of catharsis for a global community suffering from the reverberations of sexual abuse. Whilst it is impossible to contain all of the individual impacts of the movement in this short piece, the selected accounts mentioned suggest that the #MeToo movement has inspired many victims to come forward — but it still has a long and challenging journey ahead.
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