History of MeToo University movement in Spain

Abstract

The precedents of the MeToo University movement, both in USA and Spain, has been led since the 1990s both by people who have taken a stand against sexual harassment in universities. The present study reflects the history of the MeToo University in Spain with an emphasis in the start of organized movement in 2013, also simultaneously with the one organized in the USA. For this purpose, in-depth interviews were conducted with people who led this transformation since its beginnings, as well as with others who have joined recently, in order to learn about the historical scope of this movement from a qualitative approach. Those people have suffered from isolating gender violence for daring to break the silence, being a loudspeaker and putting a name to a problem still silenced in Spanish universities and in the world. The movement has achieved great advances in academic settings, such as the obligation of all universities to have protocols for action in case of sexual harassment or gender violence, the legislation of isolating gender violence, and an unstoppable number of people who come out to tell their cases.