You are hopefully familiar with the #MeToo twitter tag. Just over a month ago it went viral as a very public grassroot shout to denounce sexual assault and harassment. It was triggered by the very public accusations against Harvey Weinstein. Literally million of people used it to come forward and so the scale of abuse and harassment was revealed.
Here are a few statistics that will enable you to grasp it …
- Facebook: the hashtag had been used by more than 4.7 million people in 12 million posts during the first 24 hours
- Twitter: The hashtag was tweeted nearly a million times in 48 hours, according to Twitter.
- In the U.S., Facebook said 45 percent of users have had friends who posted “me too.”
- According to TIME, the hashtag trended in 85 countries and was tweeted out 1.7 million times.
Why started this?
Here is a tweet that points you at the Origin story …
I was just made aware of an earlier #MeToo movement, and the origin story is equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring https://t.co/tABQBODscE
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 16, 2017
There, via that link, you will discover the story of Tarana Burke. She created “Me Too” back in 2006 on MySpace. Her vision was, and is, the promotion of “empowerment through empathy”.
Now we have #ChurchToo
A couple of days ago Twitter users Hannah Paasch and Emily Joy started #ChurchToo, and so this is now exposing sexual abuse and harassment within religious communities.
Below are a few of the many many tweets. I’ll simply put them out there without any further comment … except to add the observation that the tweets below are simply scratching the surface …
I CANNOT COUNT the number of times I’ve heard guys in church PUBLICLY admit to molestation, harassment, assault, etc, only to be praised for their bravery & honesty. No consequences. The church’s legacy of protecting abusers is sickening. #churchtoo
— Rose Johnson (@yellowinmysoul) November 21, 2017
#churchtoo : here’s an issue that I feel passionate about.
I was sexually & physically abused by a bf who was also a member of my church.
When I went to my church leaders for help the discouraged me from going to the police & encouraged me to give him another chance.
— Beth (@alittleotmark) November 21, 2017
Let’s not forget to call out the people who didn’t believe us when we told them our stories, the pastors, parents, teachers, who left us hurting & alone. You are responsible too. #churchtoo
— Casey Currin (@ccurrin93) November 21, 2017
In high school, a guy in my youth group told me he could treat me like a friend or like a lady & that I had to choose. It still haunts me to think that men grow up believing the two are mutually exclusive. #churchtoo
— Rose Johnson (@yellowinmysoul) November 21, 2017
#churchtoo. I was about 13 or 14 and at church Summer camp. The minister leading the camp was harassing one teenager girl from his church and she asked us all to protect her. One day he chased her into the girl's bathroom where girls were showering and changing. A group of 1/
— Jamie B (@jambie61) November 21, 2017
#churchtoo. Which is why, although I believe in God, I no longer will believe in church or religion. I refuse to step inside another church or say to a priest "Father bless me for I have sinned". If I want that blessing, I'm going straight to God with the request. No middle man
— Zada Leon (@ZadaLeon) November 22, 2017
I was sexually abused by a pastor. When reported, the social worker chose to protect the minister instead of my 7yo body. Bcs of that, the abuse continued for years. Kids deserve better. #churchtoo
— Robin Anderson (@RobinAnderson15) November 22, 2017
A guy I met at my church’s junior high camp sent me sexually explicit emails about how he’d molested his sister’s friend while she was asleep. He was proud to finally be brave enough for his “confession”. I got in trouble for opening the emails. #churchtoo
— Rose Johnson (@yellowinmysoul) November 21, 2017
I was 13 and the pastor’s daughter. A prominent church member molested me and I reported him to the church. The church covered it up, fired my father, and made the church member an elder. #ChurchToo
— Emily McGlawn (@emilymcglawn) November 23, 2017
When a Youth Pastor's wife (whom I admired) gave me a 4-page letter telling me to hide my figure when around her husband bc I might cause him to sin. I told my mother. She scolded the wife. The wife "apologized" by giving me another letter on female modesty. I was 17. #ChurchToo
— Jonee Ripperger (@Jonee614) November 22, 2017
Growing up in purity culture, I was taught that men were “visual creatures” that couldn’t help feeling aroused at the sight of slightly revealed ankles or knees, and that all men were imagining me naked 24/7. The entire system shamed women for even existing. #ChurchToo
— Sarah Lacour (@sarahrlacour) November 22, 2017
Men in the church told me my clothing determined the level of respect I deserve.
They groped & touched me for a literal decade.#churchtoo— andee.moriah (@andeemoriah) November 21, 2017
At the church where l spent most of my adult years, l began to tell people about the hell of my childhood. Repeatedly l was told that l had to stay in contact with all my abusers because they didn’t know God and I was the only way they ever would. #churchtoo
— Shannon Dingle (@ShannonDingle) November 21, 2017
I was 12 but it was viewed as cheating. I had to pray with my abusers wife for forgiveness. She was so disappointed that I broke her trust. #churchtoo
— Debbie McNulty (@DMcNulty70) November 22, 2017
https://twitter.com/peenyweeny1218/status/933137702253240320
https://twitter.com/imthetallone123/status/933631928195883008
I was in a hotel with my babies fleeing a violent outburst from my husband ; my pastor told me to go home and submit . #churchtoo
— Welcome to my Shitshow (@ladyDeconstruct) November 22, 2017
Back in middle school, l told my pastor that l wasn’t safe at home. I️ was being physically abused and sexually assaulted. I needed him to intervene. He chose to trust my parents over me and not report what l told him. #churchtoo
— Shannon Dingle (@ShannonDingle) November 21, 2017
I was raped when I was 9 by a member of my church. The pastor, and my parents, told me I needed to forgive him, as that is what Jesus would do. They made me hug my rapist and tell him I forgave him.#churchtoo
— Darlene Bliss-Darrow (@darcorina) November 22, 2017