It’s #NotOkay to accept violence... One in three women around the world have experienced physical or sexual violence, according to The United Nations. In 2014, YWCA Canada, the largest women’s multi-service organisation in the country, started a social media campaign called #NotOkay. Their aim was to get the public to stand up for women’s rights and raise their voice against violence against women. But, yesterday, many harrowing posts filled Twitter using the same hashtag after news of Donald Trump’s recording from 2005 surfaced. In the recording, the Republican presidential nominee made profoundly offensive and misogynistic comments about women. In response, New York Times author Kelly Oxford asked sexual assault survivors to share their personal accounts. According to Oxford’s official twitter account, around 10 million people responded to her tweet.
@MorganFletcher: “I was sexually assaulted twice. Once when I was 19 and another time in my 30s. #notokay #survivor #imwithher #endtheshame”
@themorgicorgi: “Many of my #notokay experiences were because of being afraid to say no, or being ignored when I did. Silence does not mean yes. @kellyoxford”
@jeannieruesch: “I was 12. Then 16. First two times. Both while I was sleeping. #NotOkay”
@MikaLucy1: “@kellyoxford Showed up for group study, no one there but me. He locked the door, I fought until his roommate knocked and I got away. #NotOkay”
@laeka_politico: “#WomenArePeople and to say otherwise is #notokay.”
@MissBernieBerns: “I’m not ready to tell my stories. #NotOkay”
@toastergurl12: “@kellyoxford I was 18 the day before my graduation, he was a close friend. I still remember every detail. #notokay”
@LiesSoundTrue: “So much respect to the women/girls sharing their #notokay stories. Teaching moment for all genders.”
@Bonnie_Loron: “@kellyoxford And then when I try to tell my friends, they tell me there’s “no way he’d ever do that”. I don’t tell anyone else. #notokay”
@sage_yung2: “It happened when I was 7 and it still follows me around. #notokay”
@ithappenedd: “@kellyoxford Thank you for giving me the courage to find the voice I didn’t know I had. #notokay inspired me to finally get it off my chest.”
@CatZen: “@kellyoxford Even now hard to say. Began with family member sneaking into my room at night. I was very young. #notokay”
@suzannemariew: “@kellyoxford 13, a friend’s older brother pinned me down and tried to rip off my clothes. Saved because an adult walked in. #notokay”
@stilettogirl33: “@kellyoxford I was five, he was a family member, I lost my childhood in that moment and I can never get it back. #notokay”
@DianaLBBH: “My dad can’t even hug me without me freaking out... rape culture is #NotOkay.”
@heykristance: “21, 22, 23, 26 a few of the years when strangers came up to me and started kissing me without consent. #notokay #sexualassault”
@KerryFurnell: “@kellyoxford I was 6 the first time a man tried to rape me, by 12 another 8 had tried something. By 16 I stopped counting. #notokay”
@heaveenleeL “My heart goes out to all the victims posting their stories in the #notokay tag. you are all so strong, and your experiences matter.”
