SAN FRANCISCO, April 8 ― April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and therefore the opportunity for TikTok to set up a new campaign in the United States. With hashtags like #ConsentMatters and a dedicated page, the Chinese platform wants to give a voice and support to victims. This is the hashtag of the week to follow on TikTok.
TikTok is no stranger to creating hashtags for targeted campaigns. Recently, the application launched #ArabTikTok to highlight Arab American communities and culture. Now it's the turn of sexual assault victims to be supported online, on the occasion of the month dedicated to sexual assault awareness. This year's theme is “We Can Build Safe Online Spaces.”
Tips and a hotline
The Chinese platform has regularly allowed users to denounce street harassment and / or sexual assault that they have been victims of, especially with the movement of 97 percent. Now the social network has set up a page that is entirely dedicated to these users. It is accessible from the “Discovery” tab for American users. “Another step we've recently taken is refreshing our policies to better create space for survivors to share their story or find community, without fear of further harassment...We've partnered with RAINN to develop educational content for this month within our Discover page, where people can learn about sexual violence, prevention, and healing,” TikTok said on its blog.
To do this, the social network has surrounded itself with the experts of the American non-profit organisation RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network), mobilized on this cause. “Our goal is to make access to support readily available to anyone in need and educate the broader community on this important issue,” TikTok added. The page will list videos of tips to better help victims, the number of the National Sexual Assault Hotline as well as a link to their site.
#ConsentMatters: Hashtags for hope
To support this monthly campaign, some hashtags like #ConsentMatters will unveil public messages. A way to support victims and provide the necessary means for them to find help: “At TikTok, while we value creative expression, our foremost priority is keeping users safe. If you've experienced sexual violence (including sexual abuse, assault or harassment) you can find support, information, programs and services on our Safety Center. You are not alone. Help is out there, and healing is possible,” wrote TikTok for the hashtag #ConsentMatters. The hashtag has already collected more than 4 million views.
“We are proud to be partnering with TikTok to educate more people on the realities of sexual violence and provide resources. As people look to platforms like TikTok to receive and share information, it is more important than ever that the content is reliable and not harmful. We're excited for the opportunity to share our resources with a global audience and to help TikTok remain a safe and positive platform for people to have these critical conversations,” said Heather Drevna, Vice President, Communications for RAINN. On its site, the American association also unveiled the launch of an upcoming “special challenge” on TikTok to raise awareness about sexual violence. More details are yet to be revealed. ― ETX Studio
