The #MeToo movement swiftly spread from America to the UK in October 2017, with thousands of women sharing their stories of sexual abuse or misconduct on social media. The movement’s impact spread beyond the internet, with prominent examples including allegations of sexual misconduct levelled at government figures, leading to the resignation of UK Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon, accusations of misconduct within the aid industry, and the President’s Club scandal.
Although initially slower to take off, the #MeToo movement has also gained momentum in Japan. The movement has given women a platform enabling their voices to be heard, leading to more women speaking out about sexual misconduct. As in the UK, members of the government have been implicated, most notably with the resignation of Junichi Fukuda, the top bureaucrat at the Ministry of Finance, after he was accused of sexual harassment by a journalist.
In this seminar, the impact of #MeToo will be discussed in relation to the UK and Japan. The speakers will outline the implications and effects the movement has had across each society and the extent to which it may impact government policies and legislation, as well as the challenges that the movement faces.
Free but booking is essential.
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