The #MeToo saga went viral in 2018 after celebrities opened up about sexual assault in Hollywood. 

The ramifications of this movement were huge, and thousands of people across the world shared their stories of sexual assault using the hashtag #MeToo on social media. Naturally, the conversation reached Australia and it brought to light the systematic issue our society has with violence against women.

#MeToo: Stories from the Australian Movement is a collection of essays, stories and poetry from female contributors across the country. Spearheaded by journalists Miriam Sved, Christie Nieman, Maggie Scott and Natalie Kon-yu, people from a variety of professions came forward with pivotal and enlightening content, revealing how harassment and mistreatment of women can occur in any industry, workplace, online forum or home.

It was not an easy read – there were moments when I was winded, and rightfully so given the accounts of abuse, survival, prejudice and harassment that were shared. However, it is a necessary read. It is not just for feminists, not just for females, and not just for more progressive Christians.

#MeToo contains the real-life stories of everyday people – and, in many cases, it reflects our own experiences too. It is critical reading for anyone who wants to better relate to, understand and advocate for others in and out of the church building.

Many of these accounts are not written with a Christian worldview. You will meet people with a variety of values, belief systems and backgrounds in these pages. However, the underlying factor that each has experienced injustice should be enough for all of us to sit up and listen to their voices.

As Salvos who are committed to living, loving and fighting alongside people on the fringes of society, this book is an informative and essential text that we can use to be more like Christ.

#MeToo is available online and at bookstores across Australia.