Social Media and the Mobilization of Collective Action on Sexual Violence against Women: A Case Study of the ‘#MeToo’ Movement in India

Abstract

This paper aims to understand the role of social media in furthering the movement against and conversations about sexual harassment. By exploring the narratives and responses of young women in Indian metropolitans after the widely popular #MeToo campaign, this paper attempts to examine the role of social media sites such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook in rallying the women’s rights movement in India. It is a follow up to understand the impact of the #MeToo campaign that emerged in the West encouraging women globally to recount and speak up against experiences of sexual harassment and rape. What does ‘MeToo’ signify for women in India?