“Do you think this is OK?”
(Picture: Photo courtesy of @AndyBurnhamGM/Twitter)A campaign which aims to confront the way men behave towards women has been launched and the internet is praising the initiative.
Labour Mayor of Manchester Andy Burnham shared the campaign video, which follows a young woman as she faces sexual harassment throughout her day: while out for a jog, on social media platforms, leaving a coffee shop and a night out on the town.
“Rather than women being forced to change their behaviours to feel safe, it is men and boys who need to take responsibility for this issue, either by reflecting on and changing our own behaviours or challenging those of people we know,” Burnham said in a statement.
“This new video is intended to get the conversation going and in the New Year, we will be taking it into our schools, colleges and communities,”
The video shows just how much of an impact these suggestive comments can have on woman, leaving them feeling vulnerable, and asks this question: “Do you think this is OK?”
The hashtag to coincide with the phrase for the campaign is #IsThisOK.
At this morning’s @greatermcr meeting, we will say more about our #IsThisOK campaign and taking it into schools, colleges and communities in 2022.
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) December 17, 2021
Men, lads and boys across GM need to own this one and lead the change we need to see.👇🏻
pic.twitter.com/ikP7LPBAgn
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People on Twitter flocked to the comments to share their praise and appreciation of the video.
Really well done video. It captures the variety of harassment and builds up to show how that translates into fear. I often describe sexual harassment as like death by a thousand cuts. One comment might not seem that bad to an onlooker, but it piles up and limits your freedom
— Rach (@RachelTiplady3) December 17, 2021
I've had all of these happen to me. And if there are any guys watching this struggling to empathise - remember that this will happen to your significant other, your sisters, your female friends etc... Every single one of them.
— punnalingus (@kat_molinari) December 17, 2021
This is so good - I have 3 daughters in their 20’s and I’m angry that they have to put up with the same (maybe worse) harassment I had in the 80’s. My youngest (23) won’t go anywhere alone because she feels so unsafe.
— Lindsay 💙 (@LindsayPrint) December 17, 2021
This is great work Andy. Important to put the emphasis here on men and boys to think about their behaviour, and the behaviour of their peers.
— Andrew Henley (@DrAndrewHenley) December 17, 2021
This is excellent I will be showing it to both my daughter and son, if possible should be rolled out nationwide a great campaign.
— Kell w (@tillsm96) December 17, 2021
According to the UN Women UK, 71 per cent of women of all ages in the UK have experienced some sort of sexual assault in a public space.
The report also noted that 95 per cent of women did not report sexual harassment experiences.
The video has been released by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority as part of the Greater Manchester 10-year Gender-Based Violence Strategy.
If you have been affected by the issues discussed in this piece, victimsupport.org.uk offers confidential and free services to anyone who’s been raped or sexually assaulted, now or in the past. Their volunteers can visit you at home, if you want them to, or somewhere else if you prefer.
Alternatively, you can receive confidential support or information, for free, by calling 08 08 16 89 111.
