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 The #MeToo march and rally followed a
relentless series of accusations by men and women who said they
were victimized by high-powered figures in the entertainment
industry. But marchers said they also represented men and women
who had been sexually abused as children and in other
situations.
"I've been sexually assaulted multiple times throughout my
life," said marcher Tara McNamarra, 21, of Los Angeles. "It's
affected me in every aspect of my life."
She said the march was cleansing after years of not being taken
seriously about having been abused.
Women made up a majority of the crowd, although men made a
strong showing of support.
Steven Murphy, 51, of Los Angeles, said he regularly witnessed
sexual harassment while working as an accountant in the
healthcare industry.
“I’ve had personal experiences of friends, of co-workers who
were harassed, and nothing ever came of it,” Murphy said. “They
were made out to be the guilty ones. They were pressured and
harassed by the company for speaking out against assault and
sexual harassment in the workplace.”
The marchers started at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and
Highland Avenue, walking along the noted "Walk of Fame" until
they reached the Los Angeles headquarters of news network CNN at
Sunset and Cahuenga Boulevards.
Along the way, participants noted the stars of actors and
producers accused of sexual harassment.
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The allegations have inspired an online campaign, tagged #MeToo,
that has encouraged men and women in all walks of life to reveal
their own experiences with sexual harassment and assault, often
years after they occurred.
Among the most recent allegations, five women detailed sexual
misconduct accusations against Emmy-winning comedian Louis C.K. in
The New York Times on Thursday. He admitted to the misconduct
alleged against him in a statement on Friday and apologized for his
actions.
More than 50 women have said that Hollywood producer Harvey
Weinstein sexually harassed or assaulted them over the past three
decades. Weinstein has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.
Reuters has been unable to independently confirm any of the
allegations.
Earlier this month, actor Kevin Spacey apologized to actor Anthony
Rapp, who had accused him of trying to seduce him in 1986 when Rapp
was 14. Spacey's representatives said later he was seeking
treatment.
Eight current and former employees of the Netflix TV show “House of
Cards,” who were not identified, also have accused Spacey, the star
of the show, of sexual misconduct, CNN has reported.
(Additional reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles and Sharon
Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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