Top 5 Speculations About Anti-Harassment Movements

Alongside waves of solidarity, awareness, and consequences for perpetrators, such movements are regularly met with criticism, manipulation, and misunderstandings of key aspects of this form of activism. Based on recurring patterns of such criticism, we can identify five common—and false—arguments that often arise in discussions around anti-harassment movements.
 

Myth 1: “Accusations violate the presumption of innocence.”
 

Almost every time a harassment case sparks public attention, someone inevitably raises the issue of the presumption of innocence. The argument goes that a person cannot be considered guilty without concrete evidence and a court ruling, and that it is therefore unacceptable to take any immediate action—such as firing them, ending professional collaboration, or cutting off personal relationships.
 

However, this presumption primarily applies to court proceedings and criminal law. Its purpose is to prevent courts from issuing premature verdicts without sufficient evidence. It does not apply in the same way to public discussion within civil society. In this sphere, what operates instead is the concept of reputation or a level of trust and social responsibility that is monitored and regulated publicly.
 

Perpetrators rarely face immediate or disproportionate consequences. More often, public discussion simply brings attention to an issue that had previously been silenced. It is also essential to understand that if we automatically treat all accused perpetrators as innocent, survivors are left without even the chance to speak about the violence they experienced or to receive a basic level of trust. This is why arguments about the presumption of innocence often contain implicit bias and are rarely made in good faith.
 

Myth 2: “There are too many false accusations that ruin men’s lives.”
 

In discussions around anti-harassment movements, concerns about false accusations of sexual violence regularly arise. These fears are often fueled by reports that seem to emerge “out of nowhere” or relate to events that occurred long ago. Some conclude that survivors are simply taking advantage of the moment to gain money, attention, or revenge. Anti-feminist movements portray the increase in accusations as a significant threat to men, who are allegedly suffering from a flood of false claims made by manipulative women.
 

In reality, the number of false accusations of sexual violence, both before and after #MeToo, does not significantly differ from the statistics for other crimes. According to various estimates, it ranges from 2 to 10%*. Perpetrators and those around them often pressure survivors into withdrawing their reports, effectively forcing them to label their own experiences as “false.” This is supported by UK statistics**, according to which only 2% of reported rape cases result in punishment for the perpetrator. In other words, 88–96% of reported cases of violence end with no outcome.
 

Reporting sexual violence remains a highly courageous step for survivors. They risk facing judgment, victim-blaming, dismissal of their experience, fear of “bringing shame” on loved ones, as well as threats, intimidation, and career consequences. As a result, a large proportion of sexual violence cases are never reported, never reach law enforcement, or are withdrawn. This has far more damaging consequences for society than opponents of feminist movements imagine.

Myth 3: “Survivors should just report it to the police.”
 

This argument arises both when women publicly speak about violence they have experienced and when attempts are made to prevent violence, for example, by creating women-only spaces on trains or in taxis. The claim is that there are official mechanisms for complaints: one can go to the police, report harassment to an employer or educational institution, and avoid “making a fuss.” After all, not all men are dangerous. And if someone does pose a threat, one can “simply” use an emergency button in a taxi app, report it to a train attendant, or file a formal complaint.
 

However, movements like #MeToo and public anti-harassment actions would not exist if these mechanisms actually worked. In reality, women do turn to the police, but there is a high chance that their report will not be properly considered, and that the survivor will face victim-blaming, ridicule, or psychological or physical abuse. The administration of an educational institution or a company may be aware of harassment and cover it up, hold misogynistic views, be corrupt, or be unwilling to dismiss a highly “valuable” employee. In all these cases, a woman is left to confront a deeply flawed system alone and on unequal terms.
 

Let us recall Ukrainian protests for police reform or against unjust court decisions; they also took place because quiet, formal channels of resistance no longer worked. Public visibility, on the other hand, is more likely to lead to real systemic change.
 

Myth 4: “Accusations are usually exaggerated.”
 

While rape is increasingly recognized as a “serious enough” crime, harassment or unwanted advances, comments, or touches are still sometimes perceived as trivial and therefore not worthy of attention. In reality, these phenomena are closely connected, stem from one another, and together form what is known as rape culture.
 

The time when comments about someone’s body or sexually explicit jokes were considered normal and harmless in schools, universities, workplaces, or on the street has passed. Today, we must recognize that harassment is not “just attention” or “compliments,” but violent behavior—attempts to humiliate and exploit a survivor’s less privileged position. Such toxic environments, especially in male-dominated spaces, also undermine gender equality and hinder women’s advancement into leadership roles.
 

All forms of harassment deserve to be spoken about. This is not a competition over which crimes are “serious enough,” but somewhat different pieces of the same patriarchal system that must be dismantled.
 

Myth 5: “They should have spoken up immediately, not 10 years later.”
 

A large number of harassment reports—especially after the rise of #MeToo—concern incidents that occurred years ago. The reason these stories are being told now is not that survivors suddenly “remembered” or decided to “profit.” Instead, women finally gained platforms from which they could speak and found support from others who had also dared to share their experiences.
 

Ten or twenty years ago, harassment was far more normalized than it is today. Survivors may have been afraid to speak out, occupied more vulnerable positions, blamed themselves, failed to recognize harassment as violence, or lacked the language to describe what had happened. The growing visibility of feminism and anti-harassment movements has shown that these women are not alone and that the problem is far more widespread than previously acknowledged. Solidarity, collective support, and a reduced fear of judgment have encouraged many women to come forward. Many stories remain untold, and they are just as important.

​​

​

*RCS False allegations briefing 2021. — https://www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/resources/False-allegations-briefing-2021.pdf

**Virtually all rape victims are denied justice: Here is the roadmap to failure. Saunders Law, 2023. — https://www.saunders.co.uk/news/virtually-all-rape-victims-are-denied-justice-here-is-the-roadmap-to-failure