Harvey Weinstein, Roy Moore, Donald Trump: Why sexual harassment was 2017's story of the year
As news media increasingly permeates the everyday channels of day-to-day American life, exposés and lengthy reports have the heightened power to shape culture and define a calendar year.
In 2017, headlines surrounding varied cultures of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct saturated American media and defined a news narrative that continues to build. From Hollywood to Capitol Hill, power structures that breed silence and fuel sexual misconduct were the most-discussed stories of the year.
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Before we detail 2017, though, this topic really requires a look at the chain of events that in many ways paved the path for victims -- or, as TIME Magazine named them, "the Silence Breakers," -- to speak out on abuse.
The 2016 presidential campaign season brought a series of dramatic turns in lead up to the general election contest between Donald Trump and Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton. Almost exactly one month before Election Day, the Washington Post published footage from 2005 of then-businessman Trump speaking in lewd terms about how he treats women.
"Grab them by the p---y," Trump said, a phrase that now infamously defines those last few weeks of the 2016 election. "You can do anything."
Some 21 women have publically accused Trump of sexual misconduct ranging from forced intercourse to inappropriate encounters, both before and after the 45th president's inauguration. Following Trump's election win, women around the world took to the streets in protest -- many vocalizing their opposition to the former billionaire businessman's attitude toward and treatment of women.
And as these allegations against Trump set the stage, so came the wave of allegations in 2017.
On Oct. 10, 2017, the New Yorker released Ronan Farrow's detailed report on Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein and his dark history of sexual assault. The report featured multiple accusers, and these initial accounts opened up the floodgates for some 80 plus women across the film industry to come forward and share their own stories. Selma Hayek, Rose McGowan and Cara Delevingne are among those that have notably gone public with their first-hand accounts.
While headlines on Weinstein's systemic abuses of women with whom he worked occupied much of the space surrounding sexual misconduct, other accounts of high-profile men in the entertainment industry using their power to manipulate and harass both women and men quickly followed. Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Charlie Rose and Matt Lauer are among those who came under scrutiny and have since faced repercussions in their respective careers.
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Sexual assault allegations also spread through Capitol Hill and local legislatures alike. In Massachusetts, Kentucky and Kansas, accusations of misconduct have brought down political figures and candidates. On a national scale, Sen. Al Franken and Rep. John Cornyn have resigned while others -- like Rep. Ruben Kihuen -- have announced they will not seek re-election.
And then, amid a special Senate election in Alabama, there was the case of Roy Moore.
On Nov. 9, the Washington Post published a report including detailed accounts from an initial four women who claimed the high-profile Alabam judge pursued them when they were teens.
"I have prayed over this," Leigh Corfman told the Post. "All I know is that I can’t sit back and let this continue, let him continue without the mask being removed."
More accusers came forward in the wake of the bombshell report -- sending waves through Washington D.C. as Trump and the Republican party balanced their desire to maintain the congressional seat as GOP-held with the seriousness posed by the allegations. Despite White House support, Moore was defeated by Doug Jones due in large part to the 98 percent of black female voters who opted for the Democratic candidate over the disgraced judge.
All of this led to the proliferation of the #MeToo hashtag on social media. A way for victims to share their own stories and unify in solidarity, the phrase was first used in the context of sexual violence by Tarana Burke in 2006 -- and has since taken on renewed life.
"We keep talking about how many millions engaged with the movement, but even if just 10 percent of those people stay committed to the work, we will have created an incredible army," Burke says in a piece for Glamour. "Because, the power of #MeToo isn't just naming it. Naming it is just the beginning of the journey."
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