The accusations against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein have prompted a social media campaign through which thousands of women have broken their silence and shown the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment.
The "Me Too" movement seeks to empower victims to come forward and discuss their experiences, while showing others that they are not alone.
Actress Alyssa Milano was among the first to use the Twitter hashtag, posting "If you've been sexually harassed or assaulted write 'Me too' as a reply to this tweet."
Milano also shared a note from a friend that said, "If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote, 'Me too' as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem." Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have responded, either simply saying 'Me too,' or sharing stories of what they have endured.
By Monday morning, more than 300,000 tweets with the hashtag had been posted on Twitter.
Peggy Pisano, who has spent 40 years as a counselor at the Rape Crisis Center of Milford, says the movement can educate the public, and may either cause more people to come forward to police or at least give them a platform to feel empowered.
"I think it's a real revelation for people who have not had to deal with this in their life," says Pisano. "It's an 'Oh my God' kind of a moment that we have within 24 hours, that many people weighing in and saying 'Me too.'"
Pisano says coming forward is very difficult for victims because it can cause them to relive their trauma, but there are resources for those who want to talk. One local outlet is the
Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, which has nine centers in the state that offer free confidential help.