The #MeToo campaign was designed to show the magnitude of sexual assault toward women. Women who have faced these issues are encouraged to post on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter “#MeToo” if they were a victim of sexual assault or harassment.

According to The New York Times, on Oct. 15, actress Alyssa Milano started the #MeToo campaign when she asked women on Twitter who had been sexually assaulted or harassed to retweet #MeToo to show the mass number of women who have been sexually assaulted or harassed.

When a woman in a situation of abuse opens her social media and sees the vast amount of other women who have experienced something similar, she may begin to recognize she is not alone.

The campaign may have been started to just bring awareness to this issue, but it can also bring hope. Victims can see they are not the only ones experiencing awful and sickening acts of violence. #MeToo creates a community that can bring women together to open up and connect.

Although the campaign is used to show how many women are sexually assaulted, people need to remember it doesn’t just happen to women. According to RAINN, the largest anti-sexual assault organization in the nation, one out of 10 victims of sexual abuse or assault are men.

Men, women and children are all victims of sexual assault or harassment — this is not a small issue. According to Mental Health America, rape can lead to post traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses such as depression, addiction disorders, anxiety and eating disorders. Rape is a grotesque action and it can happen anywhere. According to RAINN, every 98 seconds someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

Even though so many are writing #MeToo on their timelines, if someone isn’t ready to let people know that someone has violated their body, then they shouldn’t feel pressured to share. However, they should take solace in knowing they are not alone.

The #MeToo campaign is a great way to begin to show the substantial amount of women who are sexually abused or assaulted. For someone to admit to friends and family they have been in a situation where they were sexually assaulted or harassed takes strength and courage. However, if someone has been through something and does not or cannot post #MeToo, it does not mean they are not strong. It simply means they are not ready and that is okay.