Judd brings #MeToo spirit to South Sudan
In her first visit to civil war-torn South Sudan, actress Ashley Judd had a message for survivors of sexual assault in a country where rape is a widespread weapon. “I see you, I love you and I’m here for you,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press.
Seated on the floor and surrounded by women in a maternity hospital in a United Nations camp in the capital, Juba, the global ambassador for the U.N. Population Fund wiped tears from her eyes and told the mothers: “We’re all women, and we’re all the same.”
Judd was among the first to come forward last year with allegations of sexual harassment against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Eight months since speaking out, she has become a prominent face of the #MeToo movement, helping women around the world combat sexual abuse and hold their perpetrators to account.
While the movement has gained global momentum, however, many women in conflict-affected countries like South Sudan still suffer in silence. Five years of fighting have killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
South Sudan’s government says it encourages survivors to speak out but acknowledges the widespread taboo and fear of repercussions.
In an attempt to combat gender-based violence, the U.N. Population Fund last year launched an initiative to reduce practices like forced childhood marriage.