On Oct. 5, The New York Times published an article that exposed accusations of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s of rape, sexual assault and harassment of dozens of women. A day later, Defy Media Senior Vice President Andy Signore was accused of sexual assault and harassment. Less than a week after that, Head of Amazon Studios Roy Price was exposed for sexual harassment.

The allegations did not stop there.

More than 30 high-profile men have been accused of sexual misconduct  over the last two months.

While the allegations are just beginning, this behavior is not anything new. In many cases, individuals are being exposed for inappropriate behavior that took  place years, or even decades ago. So what exactly sparked this movement? Why have people decided to start speaking up now?

It all started after the allegations against Harvey Weinstein gained press, leading to a worldwide movement #MeToo.

The Me Too movement began in October, encouraging people to share their stories of sexual assault or mistreatment on social media.

By the end of the month, millions of people from over 85 countries had shared their stories.

Not only does this movement reflect the courage it takes to stand up about another’s mistreatment, it shows a shift in our society all together. Allegations that would have been brushed off a couple of years ago are now being handled with extreme care. Actor Kevin Spacey was immediately suspended from his show, “House of Cards,” after being accused of rape and sexual assault. Weinstein has been fired from his own company and expelled from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. NBC news anchor and “Today” host Matt Lauer was fired due to a sexual harassment allegation.   

This is just the start. Slowly but surely, society is making progress by encouraging people to spread awareness.

Whether it be the Me Too campaign or any other social movement, we now live in an environment where it is no longer OK to shove mistreatment or injustice to the side. Anyone who has a phone or access to social media has a platform to speak out and share their story.

No one is alone in their struggles any longer, even if one feels alone, there is bound to be someone else in the world going through the same thing. All it takes is just one person to stand up and do something about it to raise an army of those who have been wronged. Even if not everyone has expressed their concerns, there is strength in numbers.

It is important, now more than ever, to utilize any and all platforms available. Continue voicing opinions, addressing concerns and uncover the truth.

The world will continue to right the many wrongs that have been hidden for so long. They were never OK, and even though they were never addressed in the past, we are on the right path towards handling them.