LONDON: A crowdfunding appeal launched in response to the #MeToo movement has paid out more than a million pounds to British charities fighting sexual harassment and abuse.

Organisers at the Justice and Equality Fund called for more donations as they announced the payouts, a year after the #MeToo campaign first swept the internet.

“We are just at the start,” said Samantha Rennie, executive director of women’s funding group Rosa, which organised the project. “The more people, companies and organisations that stand up and show their solidarity by giving to the fund, the quicker we will succeed.”

The #MeToo campaign spread across social media a year ago as women came forward with a slew of allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein in a scandal that sparked a wider, global debate over sexual abuse and harassment.

It led to the creation the Justice and Equality Fund in February, backed by high-profile actors Emma Watson and Keira Knightley.

Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland was one of the biggest recipients, saying it would use the 200,000 pounds to re-establish a rape crisis centre, 12 years after it had shut.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2018