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These "Church Too" Tweets Are A Powerful Reminder That Sexual Abuse Isn't Limited To Hollywood
By Mehreen Kasana
In the wake of sexual misconduct allegations against film tycoon Harvey Weinstein (who has denied accusations of nonconsensual sex), actress Alyssa Milano invited women to share their own experiences using the hashtag "Me Too." It went, understandably, viral. Shortly after the hashtag took off, reports emerged that the original idea for "Me Too" came from activist Tarane Burke who started it as a grassroots movement to support people who had experienced sexual abuse. Now, another Twitter hashtag "Church Too" is up with survivors detailing sexual harassment and abuse in places of worship like churches. The hashtag started on Tuesday and was described by one Twitter user in these words, "There's a hashtag on Twitter right now called #ChurchToo where people are sharing their stories of sexual harassment and abuse in religious (primarily Christian) settings. It's a sobering, powerful, disturbing read. Many thanks to the brave people sharing their stories." According to another user, the origin of #ChurchToo was traced to two women, writer Hannah Paasch and spoken word poet Emily Joy Allegations of sexual abuse taking place in churches aren't new. Time and again, there have been media reports of misconduct and inappropriate behavior coming from priests and pastors. But hashtag "Church Too" gives the power and control over narration to the very people who have experienced such abuse. As of this moment, the hashtag has over 2,000 tweets and it seems like it will continue to grow. Warning for people who may feel triggered by the hashtag as some of the content is disturbing.
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