Alyssa Milano's #MeToo Campaign Prompts Thousands to Share Sexual Harassment and Assault Stories

Amid numerous lurid allegations against Harvey Weinstein, a social media hashtag is encouraging women to share their stories and shine a light on just how widespread sexual harassment and assault are.

Read: Woman Raped by Neighbor, Who Then Offered to Do Yard Work: Cops

The #MeToo hashtag appeared all over Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Sunday after actress Alyssa Milano posted a note on Twitter that read:

She asked Twitter uses to reply “me too” to her tweet if they’d “been sexually harassed or assaulted.” Thousands of responses poured in as a result.

Some women simply wrote “me too,” while others described their experiences.

Celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Evan Rachel Wood, Rose McGowan and Rosario Dawson were also among those joining the campaign.

According to Twitter, #MeToo has been tweeted nearly half a million times in the past 24 hours. 

Read: Sex Offender Who Allegedly Raped Girl, 12, Gets Joint Custody of Her Child

Milano co-starred with Rose McGowan, who has publicly accused Weinstein of raping her, in Charmed, and has published her thoughts on the Weinstein scandal on her website.

"To the women who have come forward against a system that is designed to keep you silent, I stand in awe of you and appreciate you and your fortitude," Milano wrote. "It is not easy to disclose such experiences, especially in the public eye. Your strength will inspire others."

Watch: Woman Says She Fought Off Sex Offender Who Attacked Her After Self-Defense Class