Five years ago, survivors of sexual violence rose up in solidarity during the #MeToo movement and since then, the movement brought justice to victims of powerful figures in a variety of industries.
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What happened to the survivors and men of the #MeToo movement?
Five years ago, survivors of sexual violence rose up in solidarity during the #MeToo movement. Some prominent accusers found justice after their allegations came into the public eye, while others are still wading in the blowback of the revelations. While the movement took down hundreds of powerful figures who abused their authority, it has had its setbacks in delivering justice to the people who waged accusations against powerful figures.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: THE ACCUSERS AND THE ACCUSED
Insider reflected on five powerful men who faced #MeToo allegations — ranging from workplace misconduct to sexual assault — but have seemingly managed to survive the crisis, evade the long-term consequences, and bounce back from the shame oft associated with such accusations.
FOUNDER TARANA BURKE’S VISION FOR THE MOVEMENT
The #MeToo movement— a term coined by activist Tarana Burke in 2006, exploded in October 2017 when actor Alyssa Milano invited women and abuse victims online to share their stories of rape, sexual harassment, and workplace abuse using the hashtag.
Tarana Burke officially established the Me Too Movement as an organization that will carry on her work, regardless of whether its namesake phrase is trending on social media. The biggest goal she took on was "fighting for narrative shift," she told Business Insider in an 2019 interview.
The hashtag went viral in 2017, but Tarana Burke first started the movement back in 2006. We spoke with the founder of #MeToo about its origins and what specific things need to change to help the victims and prevent cases of sexual assault.
FIVE YEARS OF LEGAL VICTORIES
From Bill Cosby – one of the first figures accused of sexual abuse by dozens of women during the viral moment of the #MeToo movement – to serial child sex predator Jeffrey Epstein and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, several high-profile cases offered hope in the movement's strides.
#METOO TRIALS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW
Four disgraced Hollywood men — director Paul Haggis, actors Kevin Spacey and Danny Masterson, and former media mogul Harvey Weinstein — are on trial this month over sexual misconduct allegations that arose in the wake of the #MeToo movement.
