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Women are sharing their experiences of sexual violence on social media under the hashtahg #ItsNotOkay to mark Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week, which started on Monday.
The hashtag was created to raise awareness and tackle the stigma that discourages people from openly discussing sexual assault and abuse and has already garnered thousands of responses from individuals around the globe and UK police forces.
On Monday, the Government Equalities Office tweeted about its support for the hashtag and revealed its plans to conduct a nationwide survey into workplace abuse and harassment in order to find new ways to combat this.
"No one should have to experience this vile behaviour," the tweet read.
"We're asking over 12,000 people from all walks of life what they might’ve experienced, so we can find the problem source and tackle it."
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Created with Sketch.
1/24 2017
A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris
AFP
2/24 2018
Italian actress Asia Argento (C) and US singer and actress Rose McGowan, who both accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, take part in a march organised by 'Non Una Di Meno' (Me too) movement as part of the International Women's Day in Rome
AFP/Getty
3/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California
AFP/Getty
4/24 2018
South Korean women staging a monthly protest against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul. Since May 2018, the monthly demonstrations against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul has shattered records to become the biggest-ever women's protest in South Korea where the global #MeToo movement has unleashed an unprecedented wave of female-led activism
AFP/Getty
5/24 2017
Swedish MEP Linnéa Engström sits behind a placard placed on her desk that reads "Me too" during a debate about combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU at the European Parliament in Strasbourg
AFP/Getty
6/24 2018
Activists participate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in a demonstration for women's rights in Berlin
Getty
7/24 2018
A McDonald's employee holds a sign during a protest against sexual harassment in the workplace in Chicago
AFP/Getty
8/24 2018
An activist participates in the 2018 #MeToo March in Hollywood
Getty
9/24 2018
Women protest in New York
Getty
10/24 2018
Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background
AFP/Getty
11/24 2017
French activist Jean-Baptiste Redde, aka Voltuan, holds a placard as protesters take part in a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence in Paris
AFP/Getty
12/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse, including Democratic candidate for Illinois governor at the time JB Prtizker (left), gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Illinois after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and agreed to an additional week of investigation into accusations of sexual assault against him before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens
Getty
13/24 2018
A group describing themselves as #MeToo/#YoTambien survivors, hold a candlelight vigil outside the Mexico Consulate to support the women taking part in the human caravan heading through Mexico to the US border
AFP/Getty
14/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood
AFP/Getty
15/24 2018
South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day
AFP/Getty
16/24 2018
Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park for international Women's Day in New York
Getty
17/24 2017
People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel in New York
Getty
18/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood
AFP/Getty
19/24 2018
South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day
AFP/Getty
20/24 2018
Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on the afternoon that Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh in New York
Getty
21/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza in Chicago
Getty
22/24 2018
Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park
Getty
23/24 2017
People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel
Getty
24/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh
Getty
1/24 2017
A picture shows the messages "#Me too" and #Balancetonporc ("expose your pig") on the hand of a protester during a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence called by the Effronte-e-s Collective, on the Place de la Republique square in Paris
AFP
2/24 2018
Italian actress Asia Argento (C) and US singer and actress Rose McGowan, who both accuse Harvey Weinstein of sexual assault, take part in a march organised by 'Non Una Di Meno' (Me too) movement as part of the International Women's Day in Rome
AFP/Getty
3/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood, California
AFP/Getty
4/24 2018
South Korean women staging a monthly protest against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul. Since May 2018, the monthly demonstrations against secretly-filmed spycam pornography in Seoul has shattered records to become the biggest-ever women's protest in South Korea where the global #MeToo movement has unleashed an unprecedented wave of female-led activism
AFP/Getty
5/24 2017
Swedish MEP Linnéa Engström sits behind a placard placed on her desk that reads "Me too" during a debate about combating sexual harassment and abuse in the EU at the European Parliament in Strasbourg
AFP/Getty
6/24 2018
Activists participate in front of the Brandenburg Gate in a demonstration for women's rights in Berlin
Getty
7/24 2018
A McDonald's employee holds a sign during a protest against sexual harassment in the workplace in Chicago
AFP/Getty
8/24 2018
An activist participates in the 2018 #MeToo March in Hollywood
Getty
9/24 2018
Women protest in New York
Getty
10/24 2018
Women hold a banner reading "still feminist" with the Eiffel tower in background
AFP/Getty
11/24 2017
French activist Jean-Baptiste Redde, aka Voltuan, holds a placard as protesters take part in a gathering against gender-based and sexual violence in Paris
AFP/Getty
12/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse, including Democratic candidate for Illinois governor at the time JB Prtizker (left), gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in Chicago, Illinois after the Senate Judiciary Committee voted out Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh and agreed to an additional week of investigation into accusations of sexual assault against him before the full Senate votes on his confirmation. Christine Blasey Ford accused Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were both teens
Getty
13/24 2018
A group describing themselves as #MeToo/#YoTambien survivors, hold a candlelight vigil outside the Mexico Consulate to support the women taking part in the human caravan heading through Mexico to the US border
AFP/Getty
14/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood
AFP/Getty
15/24 2018
South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day
AFP/Getty
16/24 2018
Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park for international Women's Day in New York
Getty
17/24 2017
People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel in New York
Getty
18/24 2017
Victims of sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse and their supporters protest during a #MeToo march in Hollywood
AFP/Getty
19/24 2018
South Korean demonstrators hold banners during a rally to mark International Women's Day
AFP/Getty
20/24 2018
Dozens of protesters against the confirmation of Republican Supreme court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh gather outside of Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's office on the afternoon that Professor Christine Blasey Ford testified against Kavanaugh in New York
Getty
21/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza in Chicago
Getty
22/24 2018
Dozens of women and men attend a rally and march in Washington Square Park
Getty
23/24 2017
People carry signs addressing the issue of sexual harassment at a #MeToo rally outside of Trump International Hotel
Getty
24/24 2018
Activists and advocates for survivors of sexual abuse gather in the Federal Building Plaza to protest the confirmation of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh
Getty
The tweet was accompanied by a video that featured statistics such as 40 per cent of women having experienced unwanted sexual behaviour at work.
The stories shared on Twitter under #ItsNotOkay range from workplace harassment to childhood assault.
"I shouldn’t have to walk home with my keys in my hands when I’m on my own for some glimpse of protection," tweeted one user. "I shouldn’t have to be paranoid I’m being followed wherever I go. I shouldn’t be scared to go out in case I get spiked again."
Many of the tweets under #ItsNotOkay focus on victim-blaming and urge people to combat this.
"#ItsNotOkay to victim-shame and tell a victim they asked for it," tweeted one person. "No one ever asks to be raped or sexually assaulted."
Another person added: "#ItsNotOK to sexually assault any person whatever their gender occupation or sexual history No one deserves to be raped or assaulted."
Other tweets under the hashtag focused on the meaning of consent. "You can say that you want to stop halfway through," tweeted one person. "If they disagree, it’s unconsented sex [sic]."
You can find more information and advice for people affected by rape and sexual abuse at Rape Crisis or you can call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247.