Since October 2017, you'll have failed to log into social media and not come across the hashtag '#MeToo', which encourages men and women to share their own stories of sexual harassment and assault following the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
However, while the hashtag has come to be known as a symbol of support for women and men who have suffered abuse and helped share the sheer magnitude of the social epidemic, it appears President Donald Trump doesn't quite understand the meaning of the movement.
On Saturday, Trump posted a tweet that appeared to voice sympathy for alleged abusers and cast doubt over the #MeToo movement.
In his tweet, he seems to question the motives and credibility of those coming forward with their own stories of assault and harassment, and fails to show an iota of respect or empathy for survivors and victims.
The tweet reads: 'Peoples lives are being shattered and destroyed by a mere allegation. Some are true and some are false. Some are old and some are new. There is no recovery for someone falsely accused - life and career are gone. Is there no such thing any longer as Due Process?'
Now, let's just point out exactly what's oh so wrong about Trump's message.
Firstly, Trump highlights the 'shattered and destroyed' lives of the accused, not the abused. In doing so, he neglects the fact that US charity the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) has found that 94 per cent of women who are raped experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during the two weeks following the rape. That's not to mention the 33 per cent who contemplate suicide.
Secondly, his suggestion that there's 'no recovery for someone falsely accused' is slightly ironic given the fact this is a man who was elected and continues to serve as president, despite having 21 accusations of sexual misconduct against him on the record, ranging from lewd comments to rape and span more than three decades.
Even after the Weinstein scandal, allegations against the likes of Woody Allen, Bob Weinstein, Brett Ratner, Kevin Spacey, Mario Testino, and James Franco have yet to see accusations lead to criminal trial.
While 'recovery' might not be on the cards for the alleged abusers, it appears retribution isn't either in some cases.
Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein. Trump also denies all allegations of sexual misconduct, with White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders even going as far to suggest in October that all of his accusers were 'lying'.
In addition to Trump's condemnation of victims in his tweet, the president also comments that some allegations of sexual misconduct 'are old and some are new', as if time has anything to do with the validity of claims.
The whole point of the #MeToo movement is to give victims a platform to open up about their experiences who may have been too terrified in the past. Their coming forward now doesn't negate the truth nor pain suffered in the years since their alleged abuse.
Moreover, by emphasising that allegations of sexual assault can be 'false' - which we must point out is extremely rare and still only 32 per cent of rape cases are ever reported - Trump echoes the time-old rhetoric that women (and men) who come forward with assault stories do so for attention, or have misunderstood a person's 'friendly' or 'flirty' behaviour as something more sinister.
In criticising the #MeToo movement and showing support for the accused over the abused, Trump continues to endanger a collective of men and women already fearful of speaking up about their experiences of assault and harassment amid the shadows of doubt.
The President's tweet came just days after White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway expressed sympathy for former aide Rob Porter, who was accused of spousal abuse by his two ex-wives.
In in a statement on Tuesday, she said: 'Rob Porter is a man of true integrity and honour and I can't say enough good things about him.'
If you have experienced sexual violence and are in need of crisis support, please call 0808 802 9999 or visit the Rape Crisis website.
Katie O'Malley is the Site Director on ELLE UK. On a daily basis you’ll find Katie managing all digital workflow, editing site, video and newsletter content, liaising with commercial and sales teams on new partnerships and deals (eg Nike, Tiffany & Co., Cartier etc), implementing new digital strategies and compiling in-depth data traffic, SEO and ecomm reports. In addition to appearing on the radio and on TV, as well as interviewing everyone from Oprah Winfrey to Rishi Sunak PM, Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle, culture, wellness, fitness, fashion, and more.
