The greatest global challenge seen to sexual violence is in full flow.
From every region, women have grasped the power of social media to expose their pain and harm, including through use of the hashtags #MeToo, #NiUnaMenos, #BalanceTonPorc, #PrimeiroAssedio, #Babaeko and #WithYou6.
Sexual harassment is not complementary, humorous or unavoidable; victims have demanded that it be understood as a form of violence and abuse of power. Power’s gifting of protection to the privileged has been profoundly challenged through victims serving notice on abusers, saying Time’s Up. Some committed journalists have listened and treated with seriousness victims’ stories; policy, practice and legal changes need to follow.
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - UN Women, with a mandate to promote gender equality and the rights of women as well as our history of working to end violence against women, stand with victims and fully endorse their calls for a new world order. We recognise that men, women and children can be, and have been, victims of sexual harassment.