The History of the #MeToo Movement
Tarana Burke, an advocate for women in New York, coined the #MeToo phrase in 2006. She aimed to empower women who had endured sexual violence by letting them know that they were not alone—that other women had suffered the same experience.
In 2017, the New York Times published an article accusing Harvey Weinstein of sexual harassment. Actors Ashley Judd and Rose McGowan were fearlessly vocal about Weinstein’s actions, which empowered many others to share their stories.
In the meantime, actor Alyssa Milano embraced the #MeToo hashtag across her social media. She’d been unaware of the phrase’s origins and how quickly it would catch on, thinking of it as a simple way to create awareness, find support, and build a community of survivors.
Cultural Shift
Russian women and activists are now organizing to amend the current provisions covering domestic violence in the criminal code. All of this attention toward women’s rights issues means that focus cannot be turned away. It is safe to assume that young Russian activists thirsty for change will use social media as an outlet, but real change so far remains undetectable.
Embed from Getty Images
As Oksana Pushkina and the head of the federation council, Valentina Matviyenko, focus on submitting a new law to recriminalizing domestic violence, 200 conservative Russians defending traditional family values led a to challenge it. Leaders of the movement think that Russia does not have a domestic violence problem and that statistics are manipulated to suggest otherwise. They assert that a focus on any legislation countering domestic violence or the wider issue of women’s rights is part of a culture war by foreign agents to destroy the fabric of Russian society.
On November 25, a small protest demanding the recriminalization of domestic violence took place in Moscow. A mere 250 rallied on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women despite social media campaigns that garnered greater attention in the context of the #MeToo movement. It is apparent that the events of the last few years have done little to galvanize ordinary Russians against the mistreatment of women, and that the treatment and role of women in Russian society will continue to be disputed between rival social movements.
A form of the #MeToo movement will develop in Russia according to its own pace and cultural factors. It is unfair to try to gauge the success of this Western phenomenon in Russia, where generations’ worth of entrenched behavior won’t disappear overnight. But it is evident that a shift in perception of women’s rights will be a grassroots movement and definitely one that develops from the bottom up. A reliance on lawmakers and legislation does not prevent sexual harassment on the street or domestic abuse at home. Only an evolution of the social mindset does.
The key result of the #MeToo movement in Russia is that
it has initiated public discourse on subjects that have previously been
considered taboo. It is a fair assumption that Russia’s #MeToo will go through various
transformations, emerging as a unique and integral movement.
What’s Next for #MeToo?
Although positive change continues, much work remains to be done.
For example, survivors of sexual assault and harassment still endure victim-blaming, not to mention the threat of retaliation for speaking up. People need education on how perpetrators set up situations to their advantage, sometimes groom their victims, and often get away with harassment and assault.
A prime example is actor Bill Cosby’s 2021 release from prison after a Pennsylvania court threw out his conviction for sexual assault, despite ample evidence. He was among the first wave of prominent people to be tried and convicted of such crimes.
Impact of the #MeToo Movement
After Milano’s tweet, Twitter users posted the hashtag almost a million times within two days, according to Twitter. The movement spilled over to Facebook, too, where about 4.7 million users shared 12 million posts in fewer than 24 hours. Years later, people continue to share their stories with the hashtag #MeToo across social media platforms.
The response was especially meaningful for people who worked with survivors of sexual assault and harassment on a daily basis, Finally, the issue they had been working tirelessly to address was gaining traction and garnering worldwide attention. The local grassroots effort Burke spearheaded had now expanded to reach a community of survivors from all walks of life.
In the wake of these disclosures, many prominent people in entertainment, sports, and politics have been exposed for sexually harassing or assaulting others.
Thus, the silence surrounding sexual harassment and assault is being broken. Many are now open to and passionate about discussing the issues. The #MeToo movement has prompted sweeping changes, such as:
- Affirmed for survivors that they are not alone
- Developed a stronger community where survivors have a voice
- Demonstrated how widespread the issue is
- Shifted social norms and opinions about the issue
- Exposed belief systems that enable abuse
- Increased compassion for survivors
- Updated and enacted laws and policies
- Created avenues for survivors to speak up and share their stories
- Broke the silence surrounding sexual harassment, sexual assault, and sexual bullying
- Destigmatized the issue and made it safe for discussions
- Punished many powerful men through legal action and negative public opinion
- Highlighted the need for formal antiharassment policies
- Prompted several states to ban non-disclosure agreements, which help powerful people hide their actions by buying survivors’ silence
- Resulted in new legal standards by the International Labour Organization
Changes in Attitude
The case of the Khachaturyan sisters further demonstrated changes in Russian public opinion in regard to the prosecution of domestic violence. The three sisters — Krestina (20), Angelina (19), and Maria (18) — stand accused of murdering their sleeping father in 2018 after years of traumatic physical and sexual abuse. It is alleged that the girls finally snapped after their father used pepper spray on them for leaving the living room untidy. The lawyer for the sisters revealed that neighbors reported the abuse to the police numerous times, but law enforcement ignored it. The sisters told schoolmates what was going on at home, with the addendum not to tell anyone as they dreaded repercussions. Thoughts of running away were quashed with the same reasoning — their mother recently told the BBC that she was evicted from the family home at gun point.
All of this occurred during the period that Russia decriminalized forms of domestic violence and softened prosecution for such crimes. Despite this, the Khachaturyan sisters were charged with premeditated murder, with charges upgraded to those “committed by a group of persons or as a result of conspiracy.”
The high-profile nature of the case and the extent of the abuse caught the attention of the Russian public. Lawyer Alyona Popova stated: “Many people, not only women, but also men in the Russian Federation realize that this is not an isolated case.” Indeed, young men began sharing their stories of abuse and harassment as expressions of solidarity. Unprecedented protests countering the murder charges and domestic violence in general took place in Moscow and St. Petersburg, and a petition demanding a stop to the prosecution of the Khachaturyan sisters has received over 350,000 signatures.
Can’t Have It All
The utilitarianism promoted by communism was replaced with commercialism and the novelty of the affluent “culture of glamor.” This culture can be expressed as hyper-femininity or a focus on traditional depictions of female aesthetics, where women are considered to be “the prettier sex” rather than the “weaker sex,” as per Western lexicon.
Adherents of Western-style feminism — which delays marriage and having children in favor of a career — often conclude that women can’t have it all. Russian women, however, often dismiss feminist rhetoric in its entirety, with many prioritizing family over professional goals.
Sexual harassment and gender inequality are widely reported in the workplace as well. A 2016 holiday commercial by Moscow Credit Bank depicted working mothers in a negative light and consequently faced backlash. More recently, Tatprof, an aluminum company based in Tatarstan, sparked criticism for offering women bonuses for wearing make-up and dressing in a more feminine way.
The political system is also unfavorable when it comes to the rights of women. Sexual harassment, for instance, has not been criminalized under Russian law. The head of the State Duma’s Committee on Family Affairs, Women and Children Tamara Pletnyova dismissed the need for such legislation, stating: “We’re not in America or Europe. Why do we have to copy everything? A woman, if she doesn’t want to, won’t be harassed.” A gender equality bill 15 years in the making was subsequently struck down by the Duma in 2018.
High-ranking politicians have come out in opposition to feminism and the #MeToo movement. Russian President Vladimir Putin identifies feminism as a factor in the “moral decline of the West” and labeled #MeToo as a “media conspiracy.” Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov went as far as to call the American actors at the heart of the campaign “prostitutes” who sought financial gain.
Sexual Harassment and Assault Statistics
The issue of sexual aggression is pervasive. Nationwide, 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment or assault, according to a 2018 study conducted by the University of California and the non-profit Stop Street Harassment.
Although the #MeToo movement has accomplished a great deal in little time, some advocates aren’t as optimistic about the successes. The issue is still on the public’s radar, but sexual assault continues. It’s particularly insidious for people who are transgender, Native American women, college students, members of the military, and people of color. Women remain at a higher risk for sexual assault than men.
Nationwide, 81% of women and 43% of men reported experiencing some form of sexual harassment or assault, according to a 2018 study conducted by the University of California and the non-profit Stop Street Harassment.
Harassment and assault can be devastating, often leading to substance use, suicide, psychiatric disorders such as PTSD, and other negative outcomes.
The Prettier Sex
Russia’s fledgling #MeToo movement has faced
significant barriers entrenched in the country’s social history, where women have
always been expected to fulfill domestic duties as wives and mothers. Domestic
violence has always been widespread and brutal, with the phrase “If he hits
you, he loves you” becoming firmly ingrained in the collective subconsciousness.
The Russian Orthodox Church has historically espoused traditional gender roles,
with “true manifestations of femininity” such as marriage and motherhood being presented
as virtuous.
Similar views are expressed by the present-day clergy. For instance, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, stated that feminism is a “very dangerous phenomenon” and that women should “focus on their families and children.” In 2011, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin blamed “immodest dress” as a provocation for sexual assault.
These views are not singularly characteristic of Slavic Russia. In 2016, an Islamic cleric from the North Caucasus called for female genital mutilation — a practice legal in Russia and still practiced mainly in Dagestan — as a way to counter sexual immorality. He contended that such an act would not interfere with the divine purpose of women: to birth and raise children.
Embed from Getty Images
At the same time, men continue to be prioritized as breadwinners and heads of the household who conduct their business almost entirely outside the home. Scholar that men have been viewed as the “more competent and authoritative sex” throughout history. This is telling in Russian society, where men still have great degrees of control over family finances, and monetary resources are thus correlated to power.
While the Bolshevik Revolution introduced new principles of egalitarianism, these were not exactly beneficial to women at large. Soviet women were some of the first to achieve suffrage in 1918, but under the Communist Party system they were expected to supply labor too. This state of affairs was amplified during World War II, when women had to take over roles vacated by men sent to the front. Women of this generation typically consider egalitarianism as problematic as it means they must actively balance two spheres of life: domestic and public. Russian women consequently question the usefulness of feminism if it results in a more complicated life.In post-Soviet times, many traditional views returned, in part due to the increasing influence of religious leaders, with marriage and motherhood considered integral to a Russia woman’s happiness. Oksana Pushkina — a deputy with the United Russia Party who is actively working on legislation to overhaul current understandings of domestic violence, sexual harassment in the workplace and women’s rights in general — says that “Male advances are considered something to be celebrated,” suggesting a woman exhibits qualities that can technically lead to fruitful romantic relationships. They are often viewed as natural human reactions to feminine charm or a case of “boys being boys.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Who started the #MeToo movement?
New York City women’s advocate Tarana Burke first used the phrase «Me Too» in 2006. Her goal was to empower victims of sexual violence and harassment.
-
What effect has the #MeToo movement had on the workplace?
As awareness continues to build, many companies have enacted anti-harassment policies for their employees. Social pressure also has resulted in a cultural shift that has stigmatized sexually inappropriate behavior at work.
-
What year did the #MeToo movement start?
Tarana Burke, an advocate for women in New York, first used the phrase «Me Too» in 2006 to draw attention to the problem, in 2017, actor Alyssa Milano’s tweet encouraging followers to use the #MeToo hashtag went viral, resulting in widespread exposure and adoption across social media.
Not Afraid to Say It
A new generation of Russian women is eager to embrace new philosophies and highlight discrimination within the country and have continued to raise awareness of women’s rights. Young Russians have taken to social media platforms boldly to share their stories and create hashtags unique to the #MeToo movement in the country. Even prior to the American phenomenon, women in the post-Soviet space widely shared the Ukrainian-sourced hashtag #ЯНеБоюсьСказати (“I am not afraid to say it”) to reveal their experiences with sexual harassment, victim blaming and issues with contemporary culture in regard to gender.
In 2018, the viral tag #этонеповодубить (“this is no reason to kill”) was accompanied by scores of young women posting seminude photos. It was in reaction to the murder of a woman at the hands of a young man whose advances she refused, claimed to have been prompted by her posting revealing images of herself. The hashtag was a reaction against what one user called blaming “girls for everything” and to push back against the idea that “Instagram photos can provoke a barbaric murder and rape,” as another comment suggested.
The case of Darya Ageniy initiated the online movement #саманевиновата (“not her fault”) in June 2019. Ageniy faces a prison sentence for stabbing an attempted rapist with a sharpened blade in 2018. She argues that the act was committed in self-defense and, while the man survived, police have not investigated his actions.
Another hashtag, #мне_нужна_гласность (“I need openness”), trended on Russian social networks in July 2019. Women continued to share their stories related to harassment and abuse, however, this time the focus was on collective action. The two women who launched the online flash mob stated that one woman is often ignored, but the voices of many expressing similar sentiments won’t be. They concluded that Russian men do not want to hear of the repercussions of their actions against women, so they would use social media to spread the word. It must be noted that while the hashtag pushed women’s rights squarely into public discussion online, it had detractors.
Soon after the “I need openness” campaign, the hashtag #янехотелаумирать (“I didn’t want to die”) emerged. Photographs of Russian women with painted bruises and injuries, with the hashtag phrase scrawled on their bodies, began to show up in timelines across platforms, primarily Instagram. The case of Olga Sadykova — a woman stabbed by her husband in front of her son in the village of Kumysnoye — caused human rights activists Alexandra Mitroshina and Alena Popova to create the original viral photo series. Sadykova reported abuse at the hands of her husband numerous times, but law enforcement only began to investigate him a month prior to her death.