Fundamentals of Public Communication Campaigns

CHAPTER 10 The #MeToo Campaign

Campaigning for policy change may be considered unnecessary or precipitate by a public that does not consider the problem a serious one. In the case of sexual misconduct, activists may have concluded that the audience ought to be persuaded that the issue goes beyond a mere victim–perpetrator understanding. Only then could activists galvanize the audience to put enough pressure for causing institutional, social, or legal change. This is partly how the #MeToo campaign was born. An important principle is that an all-inclusive and collegial space or work atmosphere contributes to better quality of life for all. On the other hand, an atmosphere that facilitates unprofessionalism, wrongdoing, harassment, bullying, and discrimination can have negative consequences on a person’s health and reduce his or her ability to be productive and advance in his or her career path.¹ #MeToo is different from other online- or media-driven campaigns in the sense that celebrities have played a much larger role, not just for the simple fact that it is a campaign, but also because of how the campaign has unfolded—first, as victims; then, as vocal activists.² Before discussing the #MeToo campaign around the world, the author deems it important to outline key concepts, definitions, statistics, and facts of sexual misconduct today.

SEXUAL MISCONDUCT: KEY TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

Sexual misconduct is an overarching term for misconduct of a sexual nature that is based, to some ...