#Metoo trend highlights sexual harassment in wake of Weinstein claims

The words “me too” are trending on social media after women were asked to share if they had ever been sexually assaulted or harassed.

In light of the Harvey Weinstein allegations, the words are being used to show people just how widespread sexual harassment and assault are.

American actor Alyssa Milano who starred in Charmed with Rose McGowan, shared a screenshot of the suggestion and asked people to reply with the words “me too”.

More than 30,000 women, and some men, had replied to the tweet by Monday morning. Thousands of others have posted the words on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles.

Anna Paquin, who has starred in multiple films of the X-Men franchise, Debra Messing of Will & Grace and Laura Dreyfuss, who starred in Glee were among the high-profile actors to tweet the words.

Some men also joined in including Javier Muñoz, who is best known for playing Alexander Hamilton in the broadway musical Hamilton. He said: “Me too. I don’t know if means anything coming from a gay man but it’s happened. Multiple times.”

In the UK, Labour MP Stella Creasy also tweeted the words.

When another Twitter user said it was crazy of her to admit it, she responded: “Not ‘admitting’ anything. Saying I’ve been harassed like millions of women [and] girls all around the world. Shame is on the attackers, not me.”

Some social media users are using it as an opportunity to explain what happened to them.

One Twitter user said: “I have typed [and] deleted this more times than I can count. I learned about evil before any person should. I am heartbroken at how the cycle continues & to see how many others have suffered because of it.”

Others pointed out how common the issue is with many saying they didn’t know a woman who hadn’t been harassed or assaulted at some point in their lives.

Twitter user Anita Louise‏ said: “Whether it’s sexual assault, pestering or harassment, I think you’d be hard pressed to find a woman who doesn’t say it.”