The #MeToo movement was started by activist Tarana Burke, who coined the term in 2006. However, it gained traction in 2017, when actress Alyssa Milano urged victims of sexual harassment and assault to share their stories on social media.
Several celebrities did so, as did millions of others in the years that followed. The results were far-reaching — scores of formerly powerful men have been toppled after being accused of sexual assault and harassment, such as movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
The movement is now spreading in Taiwan’s political world. The movement started after a former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) worker in an online post detailed how DPP deputy secretary-general Hsu Chia-tien (許嘉恬) poured cold water on her pleas for help after being sexually harassed and dissuaded her from seeking a full investigation into the incident.