Recently the Harvey Weinstein scandal has flooded our tv's around the world leading to the #METOO movement going viral.

The movement was originally started by Tarana Burke after she was left feeling helpless and unable to speak up for a young girl who told her she was being sexually abused. Initially the movement was to help young women of colour who had survived sexual abuse, assault and exploitation but after support from Alyssa Milano once the Weinstein allegations came to light, the movement was recognised globally. 

Within days, millions of women took to social media platforms: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube to tell their stories of harassment and abuse - standing together to support each other and to shine a light on a larger problem at play.

Vanessa and I both have our own #METOO stories, like many others of our age. Year 9 is probably the earliest I can remember sexual harassment being brought to my attention. My friend group in school was majority girls with a few boys here and there, however there was a particular one who would always insist on harassing all the girls. I've always been the type of person to ignore things like that, I don't like people feeling like they've won from embarrassing me or upsetting me; although he really worked his twisted mind on others in our group. When the issue was raised to the school - let's just say a great deal wasn't done and the problem persisted all whilst another in our group started finding his feet. This specific person is honestly pathetic and disgusting - it may not sound like much but he went around paying money to know girls bra sizes, harassing them daily over text and msn - yes we're going back to the days of msn.

I understand that obviously at that age hormones are flying every where but surely it is the duty of the people looking after you to correct behaviour such as that at an early stage. Our school failed us, they failed in teaching boys how to treat women, how they are not a piece of meat and that inappropriate comments and behaviour are unacceptable - they simple taught these boys nothing. 

I have gone on to continue to ignore sexist remarks, inappropriate comments etc through my life. Yes I'm only 23 but this nation is disgusting - if you don't laugh along you get accused of being hormonal - that is something that seriously angers me and upsets me about being a woman. The problem is global, it's in peoples cultures, it's in religion, it's part of a woman's everyday life - sexual harassment, abuse or exploitation - and it shouldn't be. 

It shouldn't be 2017 that all these cases of sexual abuse by men of power should be coming to light - the latest one this morning accusing Sylvester Stallone of sexually assaulting a 16 year old girl. Women should have taken a stand sooner to show others they can stand up for what has happened to them and show that they are going to be heard. Women such as Angelina Jolie has a massive voice in this world and it has taken until now for her to stand up and say #METOO, when she could have helped prevent what happened to her, happen to her fellow actresses. 

As women we should be sharing our stories to help us move on from a stage in humanity such as this - to help us deal with a problem that has grown with us through centuries. Women shouldn't have to worry about who they're going to deal with and what comments they're going to have to prepare themselves for everyday when they go to work or walk down the street. Women shouldn't have to deal with the thought that they can't walk home alone for the worry of getting raped. Women shouldn't have to take precautions to protect themselves. Women shouldn't have to deal with their #METOO alone. 

This is why at Twilight Visuals our aim is to stand together with women - with fellow creatives such as ourselves to tell stories such as this to highlight an issue that needs to be brought to our attention - to the worlds attention, but to also embrace women and create beautiful things to empower us as a gender. We want to collaborate with as many women in our work as possible and help to change the perception towards women within cultures and industries. If you feel you could help us with our vision please email us directly at twilightvisuals@gmail.com