WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The founder of the #MeToo movement, Tarana Burke, spoke at Wake Forest University Tuesday night. Students and all were invited free of charge.
You may have seen Tarana cruising down the red carpet at the 2018 Oscars alongside Michelle Williams and Reese Witherspoon. You may recognize her from the cover of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. Though it seems as if she is an overnight sensation for spreading her victims advocacy message, this has been a long time coming.
“For more than 25 years, Tarana Burke has dedicated her life to advocating for social justice and laying the groundwork for a movement that was initially created to help young women of color who survived sexual abuse and assault,” said Paige Meltzer, Director of Wake Forest’s Women’s Center, which is co-sponsored the event.
WFMY News 2 spoke with Tarana Burke. "I’m a survivor of sexual violence but more importantly I was in a community ravaged by sexual violence," Burke said. "I witnessed it through young people, children who were 7th and 8th graders dealing with things they shouldn't have to deal with in their whole lives."
Burke says every campus should be safe for students.
"The school ultimately has responsibility to the students before donors, before funders, before board members they’re accountable to students."
Wake Forest University has implemented tools and technology for their students to feel comfortable reporting sexual violence. They have a 'Silent Witness' form through University Police, where students can report anonymously.
Tarana Burke says the #MeToo movement is often misconstrued. Burke says she would never force a victim to share their story, she encourages sharing only if and when they're ready.
"Our movement is about helping survivors find resources to heal and work to end sexual violence, and that activity can start happening on college campuses," Burke said. College campuses can be an example of how we can live in society in general, if we can find safety and protection and make our college campuses less vulnerable to sexual violence then we can do that in our communities."