In the last few weeks, over 35 actresses have shared that they had been sexually assaulted or harassed by film studio executive, Harvey Weinstein. Each individual case is heartbreaking, disgusting, and disappointing.

Mr. Weinstein's actions run the whole gamut of sexual misconduct; from suggestive comments to groping to rape.

This story is distressing on many levels. Up to this point, Weinstein has used his position to harass dozens of employees and peers for decades. He has been able to get away with it because there is an expectation that some forms of sexual harassment are excusable. Men and women, alike, brush off or turn a blind eye to catcalls and even groping on a regular basis. These acts are so prevalent in our lives that many of us forget the sheer absurdity of them.

Our collective indifference is what has allowed rape culture to become such a prevalent part of our culture. The #MeToo movement is attempting to put an end to this.

The hashtag #MeToo has taken social media by storm. Activist, Tarana Burk, started the movement 10 years ago, but the recent wave of tweets and posts was inspired by actress Alyssa Milano.

On the night of October 15, Milano shared a tweet that encouraged women who were victims of sexual assault or harassment to say #MeToo. By the next morning, hundreds of thousands of women had taken to social media to share their stories. It has been over a week and my twitter can’t load the #MeToo feed fast enough.

It is rare that that kind of behavior is called out on such a public platform, especially in such overwhelming numbers. It has allowed women of all walks of life to speak out who might never have done so. It has also made sexual assault a news story as well as a national discussion.

Its massive social media presence has brought the issue to everyone by making it about everyday women as well as celebrities.

Growing up, I had always heard statistics like “1 in 4 women will be raped in their lifetime” or “25% of women will experience sexual assault while they are in college.”

I always thought that those numbers seemed a little extreme, and then I came to college. Very quickly I came to learn that, if anything, the stats are modest. A staggering number of my female friends have endured sexual assault and every one has experienced sexual harassment in some form.

In fact, a few of my closest friends have been raped since starting at the university. Many of them only felt comfortable sharing what had happened to them with a few close friends and felt most secure talking about their experiences with those who had similar stories.

That is why this movement is so important.

Something that we can see with the Harvey Weinstein scandal is that it is clear that many women if they were to say something alone, fear that their voices will not be heard, or worse, shamed. To me, the most heartbreaking aspect of this case is that dozens of these actresses’ stories would never have been told if they did not all come forward together.

No one who has experienced sexual violence should feel that they have to share their experience in such a public way, but #MeToo has given women a chance to see that they can. I can see a difference in my friend's attitudes, as well as many other women on campus, since the revival of the hashtag.

It has provided them with a global community whose goal is healing and a chance to change the system.

The positive thing about this movement is that it is getting men all over to the country to become part of the discussion. The brave women discussing their experiences have encouraged men to listen and recognize the effect that rape culture has on women and men alike.

Many men are joining in on the conversation with hashtags like #IHearYou and are talking about changing behaviors and standing up when they witness instances of sexual harassment. The young actors Finn Wolfhard and Cameron Boyce have fired their agent after allegations of sexual harassment have surfaced.

These are the kinds of actions that are needed to deconstruct a system and a society that reacts casually in instances of sexual misconduct.

My hope is that the strives that we have made this month when it comes to discussing sexual harassment continue even when Weinstein is no longer a front-page news story. Those who come forward with stories of sexual assault should never feel judged and always feel that they have been heard.

“Locker room talk” can no longer be a valid excuse for commenting on women’s bodies or sexual histories. The only way to keep #MeToo from continuing to grow is if those who witness sexual harassment speak up, and not just the victims.