On Google's map of #MeToo searches, India lights up like a Christmas tree
Google Trends released an interactive map that shows where searches for #MeToo are trending -- with areas that have the highest interest in the movement glowing white. On Tuesday, India, by far, shined the brightest.
The #MeToo movement, which gained momentum last fall, has since unearthed decades of sexual misconduct by heads of industry and world leaders alike.
This April, in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Google launched "Me Too Rising," an interactive map that depicts the top 300 cities that are searching daily for the phrase "MeToo."
In the past year, #MeToo has been searched in 195 countries—that's every country on earth," according to a Google blog post.
The map also highlights the top five cities searching for #MeToo on any given day on the map's homepage, allowing users to click on the city and read all coverage of the movement dating back to last fall.
On Tuesday night, all of the top five cities trending for #MeToo searches were located in India, with the depiction of the country glowing brighter than any other location on the map. That's likely no coincidence.
Late last month, Bollywood actress Tanushree Dutta alleged she was assaulted on the set of the movie "Horn 'OK' Pleassss" in 2008 by veteran Bollywood actor Nana Patekar, reports Indian English-language news television channel CNN-News18.
"He was grabbing me by the arms, pushing me around, then he would ask the choreographers to move and teach me how to dance and the next thing I know he wanted to do an intimate sequence with me. It was ridiculous," Dutta told CNN-News18 about her experience.
Dutta left the film and says she spoke up about the incident shortly after, but felt so shamed by her treatment from Indian media and those who doubted her story that she left Bollywood altogether and moved to the U.S, Reuters reports.
Nana Patekar has denied the allegations.
Dutta's statements have garnered support from others in the entertainment industry, including former Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra, who tweeted her support on Twitter.
Agreed..the world needs to #BelieveSurviviors https://t.co/ia82UsCkkq
— PRIYANKA (@priyankachopra) September 28, 2018
Dutta's allegations have helped spark what some are calling India's #MeToo movement. Reuters reports over a dozen allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment have been leveled against prominent comedians, journalists and other public figures.
The movement in India appears to have led citizens to their computers to discover more about just what they're fighting for--or against.