Women identify as assault, harassment victims using #metoo hashtag

Thousands of women are identifying themselves as victims of sexual harassment or assault following a call to action led by actress Alyssa Milano in the wake of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein's downfall overallegations of sexual misconduct spanning decades.

Milano suggested on Sunday that women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted post the hashtag #metoo on Twitter. A flood of messages has erupted across Twitter as well asFacebook and Instagram.

The actress said she got the idea from a friend, who told her such a tweet"might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem."

The call to action quickly trended, with notable names like Lady Gaga, Monica Lewinsky and Rosario Dawson alongside a massive waveof women and men identifying themselves as victims.

Others shared personal stories.

"Being raped once made it easier to be raped again. Iinstinctually shut down. My body remembered, so it protected me. Idisappeared. .metoo," actress Evan Rachel Wood wrote as part of aseries of tweets on her experience.

"Sharing my stories and feelingless alone really helps. So thank you for listening."

Some women weighed in with stories of assaults while in themilitary, gang rapes and catcalls.

Also tweeting in support was Milano's former co-star on TV's Charmed,Rose McGowan, who has accused Weinstein of raping her.

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Model Cameron Russell put out a post four days ago offering helpto models and has been deluged with responses. She has shared manyon her Instagram feed, blacking out identifying factors but leavingthe stories otherwise alone. Some women who reported unwantedtouching and worse said hearing from their sister models has broughtlong-buried recollections to mind.

The effort has launched the hashtag #MyJobShouldNotIncludeAbuse.

Further actions against Weinstein

Milano called the Weinstein allegations "disturbing" in an essay last week, but added that the issue was complicated for her because she is friends with Weinstein's wife, Georgina Chapman. Fashion designer Chapman has filed for divorce since the revelations.

In another tweet that links to a blog post,Milanoadded:"While I am sickened and angered over the disturbingaccusations of Weinstein's sexual predation and abuse of power, I'm happyecstatic eventhat it has opened up adialogue around the continued sexual harassment, objectification and degradation of women."

Meanwhile, FrenchPresident Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday he has "started the procedures" to revoke Weinstein's Legion of Honour award over the multiple accusations of sexual assault and harassment against him.Another American is among the few people to have lost the distinction: disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.

Macron also said he wants to speed up the legal procedures for investigating and prosecuting sexual harassment to encourage more women to come forward. French actresses are among those who have accused Weinstein of sexual wrongdoing.

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The Oscar-winning producer was indefinitely suspended last week from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and expelled as a lifetime member of the U.S. Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Saturday.

On Monday, the Producers Guild of Americavoted unanimously to institute termination proceedings for Weinstein on disciplinary grounds. The guild's national board of directors and officers said hehas an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made on Nov. 6.

The organization also instituted an anti-sexual harassment task force to research and propose solutions to what it calls a "systematic and pervasive problem requiring immediate industry-wide action."

The guild has terminated memberships in the past for failure to pay dues, but Weinstein is the first to have been voted for expulsion on disciplinary grounds.

Police in New York and London are investigatingallegations of sexual assault against Weinstein, who through a spokesperson has denied all allegations of non-consensual sexual activity.