Everything you need to know about the hashtag #MeToo

They suddenly pop up everywhere: the words ‘me too’. In particular, Twitter is being flooded. Following the whole Harvey Weinstein affair 

sexual harassment, assault, and rape are more in the news than ever.

The hashtag-#Metoo campaign was started by American actress Alyssa Milano. She believes that the issue of sexual harassment needs to be addressed properly now. And she seems to have a huge following of women and men behind her. “It's not just about Harvey Weinstein. Changes are needed in general. We need to do better for women all over the world,” she wrote on social media.

Now I must honestly admit that real sexual violence is a huge far-from-my-bed-show for me personally. Two women I know well have been victims of it. One of them is almost certain that drugs were put in her drink beforehand. However, she has never told her parents. Out of shame, to not worry her parents, but certainly also out of fear. Fear of being the ‘raped’ girl forever. Push something down for years and it no longer exists. Or something.

It seems that the whole I-have-been-assaulted story is something to be ashamed of. You would just be a drama queen. You would have ‘provoked’ it yourself. Or worse: you would just make it up for attention. Come on people, there must be thirty pastries in your head if you want to get attention this way.

A few years ago when I was shopping in Utrecht with my boyfriend, I was literally grabbed by my raspberry by a guy walking by. “WTF ARE YOU NOT COMPLETELY HOT?” was all I could scream in anger. I just saw the back of his head disappear into the Saturday market crowd.

Long story short: on a smaller scale, I actually know almost no woman who has not been sexually harassed  at least once in her life. Maybe that's also the reason that almost every four seconds a tweet is posted containing the hashtag #Metoo.

Alyssa, what I just want to say to you? You go, girl. You too.