Hundreds join Hollywood march against sexual assault
LOS ANGELES: Hundreds of people marched in the heart of Hollywood to support victims of sexual assault and harassment, inspired by a social media campaign that has portrayed such abuse as a pervasive feature of American life.
The #MeToo march and rally followed a relentless series of accusations by men and women who said they were victimised by high-powered figures in the entertainment industry. But marchers said they also represented men and women who had been sexually abused as children and in other situations.
“I’ve been sexually assaulted multiple times throughout my life,” said marcher Tara McNamarra, 21, of Los Angeles.
“It’s affected me in every aspect of my life.” She said the march was cleansing after years of not being taken seriously about having been abused.
Women made up a majority of the crowd, although men made a strong showing of support.
Steven Murphy, 51, of Los Angeles, said he regularly witnessed sexual harassment while working as an accountant in the healthcare industry.
“I’ve had personal experiences of friends, of co-workers who were harassed, and nothing ever came of it,” Murphy said.
“They were made out to be the guilty ones. They were pressured and harassed by the company for speaking out against assault and sexual harassment in the workplace.”
The marchers started at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, walking along the noted “Walk of Fame” until they reached the Los Angeles headquarters of news network CNN at Sunset and Cahuenga Boulevards.
Along the way, participants noted the stars of actors and producers accused of sexual harassment. — Reuters