We need more than “me too”

Women join together across the map using the hashtag “Me Too” to represent sexual harassment some women have faced, but real action is needed in order to have a true impact.

The action has been made relevant in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein allegations. The American film producer has been made famous for hit movies such as, “Pulp Fiction,” “Lord of The Rings,” and “Django Unchained.” On Oct. 5, The New York Times published an investigation report detailing an extensive list of sexual harassment allegations against Weinstein.

Actress Alyssa Milano has made a call to action through Twitter. The “Me Too” hashtag has encouraged women to speak on their past experiences. The hashtag makes it known to the world that they are not alone and others have fallen victim to similar situations.

“If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘me too.’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem,” tweeted Milano.

The Editorial Board would like to say that social media recognition is good, and we support the movement. However, real action is needed. Sexual assault and harassment is actually a social justice issue. This act is a sign of an unjust society. Exploitation of women or people of any gender is uncalled for.

There are numerous efforts to boost awareness for sexual assault and harassment. April is known as Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Perhaps awareness is up, but prevention is still down.

The issue may be that we’re fed information about the existence of the tragedy instead of preventative techniques. There’s research that states, “the majority of sexual assault victims are under the age of 30,” according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.

Maybe the issue isn’t just in a private situation but digs deeper to how our society is taught to “mind our business.” Ignoring encounters we see during our commutes, or even through social media, is part of the problem as well. CARE is a strategy listed on rainn.org. CARE stands for: create a distraction, ask directly, refer to an authority, and enlist others. We have to speak up the moment we notice something just isn’t right.

“Me too” will end, yet rape culture will live as long as the conversation is one-sided. Aggressors and those who know of the incident need to stand up and admit their wrongs, as well. But as many may know, cockroaches flee when you turn on the light.”