Following sexual assault allegations made against film producer Harvey Weinstein, women flood social media disclosing their experience with sexual harassment and assault along with #MeToo to expose the scale of the problem. Widespread media coverage of the movement prompts discussion and policy change in virtually every industry.
#MeToo Movement in Canada
The Canadian Encyclopedia
Outraged by Trump’s past treatment and attitudes about women, millions of people around the globe protest the Trump administration’s threat to reproductive, civil and human rights in a pro-woman march on the first full day of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Women’s March
History.com
The 3rd World Conference of Women’s Shelters (3WCWS) was held in the Hague, the Netherlands on November 3-6, 2015. The conference was attended by 1,000 people from 115 countries. Speakers included Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, and Hollywood actress Ashley Judd. As well as high-profile speakers, the Conference was addressed by many survivors of domestic violence who told their stories in a powerful and impactful way.
Canada leads a successful international Campaign at the United Nations to establish the ‘International Day of the Girl’ to bring attention to women’s rights on a global level.
Police Constable Michael Sanguinetti had been giving a talk on health and safety to a group of students at Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto when he made the now infamous remarks. “You know, I think we’re beating around the bush here,” he reportedly told them. “I’ve been told I’m not supposed to say this – however, women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimised.”
The remarks hit a nerve and the incident soon went viral sparking outrage in Toronto and around the world. Several young women responded by organizing the first SlutWalk in Toronto on April 3, 2011. SlutWalk protests emerge throughout the globe calling for an end to shaming and blaming of sexual assault victims for violence committed against them.
Credits/Citation
Photo credit: By Anton Bielousov – Own work: Slutwalk (Toronto, ON), CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16007386