Ever since the #MeToo campaign went viral on social media a few weeks ago, millions of women have posted the status about themselves being sexually harassed or assaulted.
As a result there’s a #YouToo? campaign taking on a life of its own as more people are being named as sexual harassers, the latest being Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey accused of sexual advances in 1986 on actor Anthony Rapp.
It’s nothing new that sexual allegations can open up a can of worms.
Often when one pedophile’s past-actions are investigated in a town or city, like it was in my hometown, and parents or caregivers are encouraged to question their children, information about other perpetrators comes to light.
As adults we sometimes look back on our own lives and see some incidents through a different lens.
Without getting into too many gory details I will share two of my own.
I recall a time in high school when a teacher stepped forward to slap my behind while I was leaned over a desk talking with my friends.
When I looked around in shock, he replied, “that is an irresistible target.” There was no apology. Guess it was my fault?
Another time I was visiting my workplace during a Christmas luncheon while on maternity leave from the university and a professor came up to say hello.
He took one look at my chest and said, “you must be breastfeeding.”
I blushed and laughed nervously.
In some ways these memories seem miles away and yet they bring back just how uncomfortable I felt at the time.
They are minor compared to the sexual assaults millions of women are #MeToo-ing about, but a reminder there’s a mindset that needs to change.