In 2006, Tarana J. Burke started using the phrase “Me Too,” talking about sexual violence on MySpace. Her goal was to support survivors, especially Black women and girls. To say, “I’m not ashamed,” “I’m not alone,” “I see you, I hear you, I understand you and I’m here for you.”
In 2017, actress Alyssa Milano used the hashtag #MeToo in a tweet encouraging people to talk publicly about harassment and abuse in the entertainment industry.
That launched a global movement. Since 2017, millions of people around the world have used the #MeToo hashtag. A conversation about sexual violence that had been happening only quietly, in small groups, among survivors and people who care about them, became public.
In Canada, the #MeToo movement led to the formation of Aftermetoo, a registered Canadian charity dedicated to ending sexual violence in the workplace.
We’ve staged a symposium on workplace sexual violence in the Canadian entertainment industry. We’ve surveyed people in the performing arts in Canada, to find out more about their experiences. We’ve published a report laying out policy recommendations. We’ve developed the Aftermetoo Fund, which has given out $80,000 to organizations supporting people who are experiencing sexual violence.
Our largest project is this website. It took four years to build, and is a joint effort by hundreds of experts and thousands of people who’ve experienced sexual harassment.
Our goal is to create workplaces where people can go to work and not get sexually harassed.
This project is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention Fund and the Justice Partnership and Innovation Program.
We're always looking for ways to improve our content. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
