What we must learn from this terrible year for sexual violence

The #Metoo campaign’s success shows it’s time to focus on how sexual violence has been allowed to flourish.

COULD 2017 go down as the year sexual harassment died?

Well no, unfortunately, probably not, but surely it will be the year where males well and truly learn that – to put it mildly – it’s not OK.

It seems insane that it took the #Metoo movement to sweep the world as it has the past two months, to make that point.

After this year, in the West at least, any guys caught doing this shouldn’t be able to claim they had no idea of the devastating impact of their actions.

The fact that many men thought it was OK to do whatever they want to females is testament to the unbalanced world women have had to contend with since, well, forever.

#Metoo has been one of the most effective uses of a hashtag since that long underused key was first used on social media to identify messages on a specific topic. And in the wake of the allegations against Hollywood heavyweight Harvey Weinstein, according to CNN, it’s been used by 24 million people around the world alluding to their experiences as victims of sexual misconduct.

That’s just the people who feel strong and capable enough to go public about what they went through. Presumably, there would be millions more who’ve suffered but, for various reasons, choose not to share their stories, and countless other victims who live in countries with no decent Wifi or where social media and freedom of expression are luxuries.

So far the emphasis seems to be on Hollywood. Time will tell whether other industries and sectors of society will also let light into their deep dark closets.

As more and more reports have emerged of male figures being called out for their past crimes, there would have been many men thinking back and wondering if they’ve been guilty of such crimes.

But that would just be guys doing that traditional guy-thing of making it all about them.

The #Metoo movement is evolving into a conversation about men’s behaviour towards women and the imbalance of power at the top.

Tarana Burke, the woman who started the Metoo movement 10 years ago, says if people really want to help, they need to support survivors – and that support needs to take different forms whether it be counselling, legal advice, maybe even shelter, depending on the situation.

Burke was working with the victims of sexual abuse in underprivileged communities in the Southern States of the US when she came up with the phrase as a way of empowerment through empathy. She makes the point that behind every use of the hashtag is a human being who is sharing something that is deeply personal.

She says it’s not about the names of perpetrators any more and it’s time for us to focus on the systems that allow sexual violence to flourish.

‘‘Sexual violence knows no race, no colour, no gender or class. But the response to sexual violence does, and I don’t want us to get pigeonholed into a racialised or classist or sexist or gendered response to this moment,’’ she said.

‘‘There will always be a new person. I want to keep the conversation going, but it needs to progress.’’

Sexual violence knows no race, no colour, no gender or class. But the response to sexual violence does, and I don’t want us to get pigeonholed.’ TARANA BURKE, ABOVE