Out In The Open

#MeToo and You

One year after the hashtag #MeToo took off, motivating victims of sexual harassment and assault to go public about their experiences, Piya speaks with people about how it has -- or has not -- changed their own lives.

One year after the movement took off, Piya speaks with people about how it has changed their lives

Deborah Copaken on her college graduation day in 1988. The night before, she was sexually assaulted by a fellow student. 30 years later, propelled by the #MeToo movement, she wrote a letter to her perpetrator, who apologised for his actions. (Submitted by Deborah Copaken)

It was one year ago this month that the hashtag #MeToo took off, motivating victims of sexual harassment and assault to go public about their experiences. This week, Piya speaks with people about how it has -- or has not -- changed their own lives.

Here are the stories from this week's episode...

Erika Rosenbaum describes life since coming forward with Weinstein allegations

In an October 2017 interview with Piya on The Current, Montreal actress Erika Rosenbaum described being subjected to aggressive behaviour by now-disgraced Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. One year later, she talks about worrying she'd be labelled a "troublemaker", how life on set has changed in the wake of the #MeToo movement, and whether she thinks speaking out was worth it.

She wrote to her rapist... and the response profoundly changed her life

Deborah Copaken was sexually assaulted when she was in college, 30 years ago. Catalyzed by this year of #MeToo, especially the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford against Brett Kavanaugh, Deborah wrote a letter to her perpetrator about it. 30 minutes after that... he called her, apologised, and took ownership of his actions. She tells Piya how profoundly that phone call affected her life and her view of #MeToo.

How do you raise your kids in the aftermath of #MeToo?

Elizabeth Broadbent is the mother of three young sons. Keegan Albaugh is the father of a two-year-old daughter, with another girl on the way. They talk about the unique concerns the #MeToo movement provoked for them, and how it's changed their respective approaches to parenting their children.

'Nothing is really changing': Waitress fired after speaking up about workplace harassment

In the months after the #MeToo movement began to grow, while serving at a restaurant in California, Nikkie Para says she and her coworkers were being subject to verbal and physical harassment. So, she tried to gather and take legal action... and then, she was fired. Nikkie tells Piya that while awareness of misconduct may have grown, #MeToo is leaving her feeling hopeless.