Gabrielle Union is using her influence and own experience to shed light on the issue of sexual assault amid the ongoing scandal in the industry. The "City of Angels" alum has decided to speak out after Mayim Bialik seemingly suggested that women should dress moderately to avoid getting harassed.
The "Big Bang Theory" star, on the other hand, argued that the message of her Harvey Weinstein op-ed was taken out of context. She also denied accusations of victim blaming and reassured the public that she has no intention of implying to blame sexual assault victims for the horror they have experienced.
Gabrielle Union debunks Mayim Bialik's Harvey Weinstein op-ed
The controversial editorial has triggered Gabrielle Union to share a traumatic episode when a stranger robbed the store she was working for and raped her at gunpoint. The actress noted that she was all covered up when the assault took place.
Though I was raped by a stranger who raped me at gunpoint after robbing the store, I was still asked by a female "friend" what I had worn
— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) October 15, 2017
She further explained her thoughts on sexual harassment during an interview with Entertainment Tonight on Monday. The 44-year-old actress said anyone could be a victim of sexual misconduct regardless of their clothing, race, religion or looks.
"The idea that your clothing should somehow indicate whether you're the right kind of girl or whether you are deserving of sexual violence or not is incredibly dangerous," she explained. "Your clothing isn't going to make or break whether or not it can happen to you."
The "Think Like A Man Too" star went on to explain that sexual assault is not about sex but the abuse of power.
Aside from speaking out through the internet and the media, Gabrielle Union also narrated the traumatic episode in her book, "We're Going To Need More Wine," in hopes to raise awareness on the matter as well as to encourage other victims to come forward.
Twitter trends #MeToo amid ongoing scandal
The actress also joined the "Me Too" campaign initiated by Alyssa Milano in the wake of Harvey Weinstein scandal.
In fact, hundreds of people who claimed to be victims of sexual assault and/or harassment have been inspired to share their own experiences through the online rally.
If you’ve been sexually harassed or assaulted write ‘me too’ as a reply to this tweet. pic.twitter.com/k2oeCiUf9n
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) October 15, 2017
According to an ABC report, the campaign has drawn more than 12 million posts, comments, and reactions on Facebook on top of over one million mentions on Twitter.
#MeToo has made a strong impact - More than half of U.S. women have experienced unwanted sexual advances from men. https://t.co/H5YrsIc0Zs pic.twitter.com/mJKEiz3rZZ
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 17, 2017
Another report suggested that the "Me Too" campaign is a good first step for sexual assault victims to speak out and shed light on the issue. Also, the hashtag #MeToo has remained on the list of trending topics since the online rally started over the weekend.