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The Impact Of #Me Too Movement On Legal Responses To Sexual Abuse

In order to aid sexual abuse victims, particularly young women of colour from impoverished neighbourhoods, on their journey toward healing, Tarana Burke launched the "Me Too" movement in 2006. The movement's objectives have been to build a robust network of activists and supporters in order to overcome the dearth of resources available to victims of sexual abuse.


Me Too Movement: About

  • People share their stories of sexual abuse or harassment as part of the MeToo movement, a global campaign against sexual harassment and abuse. 

  • Sexual abuse victim and activist Tarana Burke first used the term "Me Too" in this sense on Myspace in 2006. 

  • Beginning in 2017, the hashtag #MeToo was utilized to highlight the severity of the issue.


Me Too Movement: Purpose

  • The global campaign known as "Me Too" aims to eradicate sexual abuse and harassment. As part of this campaign, women from all around the world shared their own stories, drawing attention to the all too widespread problem of sexual violence in our culture.

  • The #MeToo movement gained traction following the October 2017 allegations of sexual misconduct against well-known American film producer Harvey Weinstein.

  • The Popular hashtag #MeToo aims to raise attention to how frequent sexual abuse is in today’s culture.

  • Various incidents of forced penetrative sex, unwelcome touching, eve-teasing, and inappropriate texting from senior coworkers have been brought together by the campaign.

  • As the movement gathered traction, it expanded to include the perspectives of homosexual and cisgender men in addition to women.


Impact of Me Too Movement


Social Impact of Me Too Movement:

  • Holding the Perpetrator Responsible: Since Me Too gained popularity on social media, a lot of people are aware that those who commit crimes without being prosecuted are not only breaking the law but also violating the dignity of women in particular. As a result, many people are willing to hold those responsible accountable.

  • Swift Spread through Various Channels: Prominent figures from various fields raise awareness through their writing, poetry, protests, publications, documentaries, and other mediums. As a result, the swift spread of #Metoo through various channels has led to the conviction of numerous influential individuals who were charged with sexual harassment and misbehaviour.

  • Systematic Changes for Filing Complaints: Many firms are being forced to make systemic changes, such as implementing a committee for complaint filing, enforcing stronger safety regulations for women, and paying equal compensation to men and women. Recognizing the high incidence of sexual violence in various nations is also helpful.


Legal Impact of Me Too Movement:

  • Initiative of Zero Tolerance: Since many women fear being fired and facing a threat to their lives, legislation to address the pay gap was implemented. The government progressively established women's rights through a variety of channels and procedures, and the Zero Tolerance initiative was launched.

  • Removal of Clauses in Non-disclosure Agreements: Employment-related obstacles such as non-disclosure agreements must be eliminated. The employer stipulated that signing a nondisclosure agreement or any other arrangement that would prohibit an employee from discussing their employment publicly or from bringing matters, such as sexual harassment, to court was a requirement of their position. Due to the #Metoo movement, these clauses are currently prohibited, and laws prohibiting their use in cases involving sexual harassment and abuse have been passed in several states.

  • Legislation was Established: In the case of Vishakha and ors v State of Rajasthan, the Supreme Court of India established the country's first legislation pertaining to sexual harassment of women at work. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act 2013 was then later amended as a result of several rules protecting a woman's safety at work being adopted.


Even if #Metoo was only a movement, it inspired others to take action against harassment. Nonetheless, the courts have taken a leading role in providing directives to the states to ensure that the authorities have formed the Local Complaints Committee for the unorganized sector and the Internal Complaints Committee for the organized sector. But the real need is to inform women about what sexual harassment actually is, as they may have been subjected to it but have chosen to ignore it for fear of the stigma that would follow them if they come forward with a complaint.


One can talk to a lawyer from Lead India for any kind of legal support. In India, free legal advice online can be obtained at Lead India. Along with receiving free legal advice online, one can also ask questions to the experts online free through Lead India.


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