Women share experience of sexual assault after Donald Trump's lewd comments spark outrage
HUNDREDS of women are sharing their experience of sexual assault after after footage Donald Trump making lewd remarks about women was released.
Donald Trump's comments sparked the #notokay hashtag
The 2005 video showed Mr Trump, then a reality TV star speaking on an open microphone about groping women and trying to seduce a married woman.
The presidential candidate has since apologised for the comments which have sparked a major backlash against him with a string of Republicans withdrawing their support.
Using the hashtag #notokay, women have taken to social media to share their experiences with millions online.
The hashtag took off when one author shared her experiences of five separate sexual assaults and asked others to share their own to show it is "not ok".
Please tweet me your sexual assaults, they are #notokay
— kelly oxford (@kellyoxford) October 8, 2016
My 3rd assault was by dermatologist, made me undress in his office closet. Age 14
1hr ago I shared my sexual assault & asked if you could do the same. Look at my timeline. 1000's of stories. We must discuss. Not our shame.
— kelly oxford (@kellyoxford) October 8, 2016
I posted my assault, asked women to share theirs, thinking "if no one discusses I'll pull it down." 9.7million later pic.twitter.com/h1y7iIiU7M
— kelly oxford (@kellyoxford) October 9, 2016
The hashtag quickly began to trend across the United States.
Here are just some of the many accounts which have been shared.
@kellyoxford Age 18, waiting for country train to leave station, man sits opposite, asks my name, proceeds to masturbate and say my name.
— Kathryn Skidmore (@kathy_skidmore1) October 9, 2016
.@kellyoxford It's #notokay when you just turned 12 a boy grabs your groin and other boys laugh. Humiliated, you tell no one.
— Summer (@summertweet) October 9, 2016
@kellyoxford man on beach forces my 15yr old hand on his penis. I run away scared to death. #notokay
— Ginger Goldman (@GoldmanGinger) October 9, 2016
@kellyoxford Medical professional. Respected. Family man. Family friend. Sexually assaulted me for several years. Starting when I was 10.
— Lorie Paddock (@loraliepaddock) October 9, 2016
@kellyoxford a man offer me and my sister $5 to lick his semen off the hidden driveway. We are 6 and 8 years old.
— Magi Speelpenning (@AtEaseCoaching) October 9, 2016
@kellyoxford A 20 y.o. guy comes on to me at party when I was 16. After I turn him down, he followed me outside and assaulted me.
— Courtney Armstrong (@armstronglpc) October 9, 2016
@kellyoxford 13, party at another students house. Pinned against a tree & he tried to rape me. Was too drunk & punched me n the stomach.
— Lindy Causey (@drgonfyrelite) October 9, 2016
I just start kissing them. And when you're a star they let you do it.
The tweets came after a recording of Mr Trump was published by the Washington Post.
In the recording, Mr Trump said of one woman, "I did try and f*** her. She was married."
He went on to discuss his attraction to other women.
Mr Trump said: "I just start kissing them. And when you're a star they let you do it.
"Grab them by the p****. You can do anything.”
The billionaire businessmen has said he will continue his bid to become president despite the controversy.
Mr Trump had hoped to revive his flagging campaign in the face of a recent drop in polls with less than a month until Election Day.
He is due to appear alongside Democrat Hillary Clinton tonight in their second debate in the runup to the general election.
Donald Trump has refused to quit the presidential race
Donald Trump's third wife Melania condemned her husband's comments
More than 60 prominent Republican current and former officeholders issued statements condemning Mr Trump's remarks about women, including House Speaker Paul Ryan and John McCain, the party's standard bearer in 2008. More than 20 called for Trump to end his presidential bid.
In an unusual move, his vice presidential running mate Mike Pence issued a critical statement of Mr Trump's words, saying on Twitter that he "cannot defend them."
Mr Pence, who is governor of Indiana, said: "As a husband and father, I was offended by the words and actions described by Donald Trump."
Donald Trump apologises for 'grope' video, and accuses Bill Clinton of abuse
Mr Pence indicated he would continue to support Mr Trump, despite calls from several Republicans for Mr Trump to step aside and let Mr Pence be the nominee.
There is no precedent for a major party to replace its nominee this late in the campaign and it was unclear if there was an avenue to force him out. Voting has begun in several states, including swing states Virginia and North Carolina.
The video was made just months after Mr Trump married his third wife Melania in 2005.
In a statement Mrs Trump called her husband's words "unacceptable and offensive to me."
She said: "This does not represent the man that I know.
"He has the heart and mind of a leader. I hope people will accept his apology, as I have, and focus on the important issues facing our nation and the world."