Stigma, blame means African women wary to say #MeToo
Women protesting outside Parliament in Nairobi. Women continue to share their personal experiences on harassment and sexual assault using the hashtag #MeToo. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The #MeToo campaign has given mostly Western women confidence to speak up about violence at the hands of men, but in Africa women say stigma and victim-blaming still keep many silent.
Fiercely patriarchal societies and religious and traditional views on the role of women means even complaining about domestic violence is an uphill battle, let alone bringing down abusive men in power, activists say.
