Hundreds join Hollywood march against sexual abuse, harassment
LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of people marched in the heart of Hollywood on Sunday to support victims of sexual assault and harassment, inspired by a social media campaign that has portrayed such abuse as a pervasive feature of life in the United States.
The marchers started at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue, walking along the legendary “Walk of Fame” until they reached the Los Angeles headquarters of news network CNN at Sunset and Cahuenga Boulevards.
Event organizers estimated there were about 200 to 300 attendees. But they also acknowledged that it was “difficult to tell” with the normal Hollywood Boulevard crowds.
Along the way, participants noted the stars of actors and producers accused of sexual harassment.
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.
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.
“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.”
Celebrity support
She said the march was cleansing after years of not being taken seriously about having been abused.
Some came with their families, some came with friends and attendees ranged in age from 4 to over 68.
Although there were not many celebrity attendees on site, some supported marches from afar.
Claire Forlani, a Weinstein accuser, tweeted: “To the women and men marching in Hollywood today #metoomarch I am there in spirit.”
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. the
“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.”
Schulman said she is hopeful, however. Her organization on Thursday announced that it is setting up a sexual harassment hotline where victims can call for pro-bono legal counseling and advice. The hotline is expected to be operational by Dec 1.
“I’ve experienced gender bias, salary imparity. I’ve been bankrupted twice and much worse . ... However, I’ve produced 20 movies, I’ve supervised over 150 movies, I’ve won an Academy Award.” Schulman said. “Do not let them destroy us. We can win this war. It’s a game of power that we can win.”
“Do not let them destroy us. We can win this war. It’s a game of power that we can win.” Cathy Schulman, Oscar-winning producer