#ArewaMeToo: Localized Resistance to the Abuse of Women in Northern Nigeria

This article explores the development of the #ArewaMeToo movement in Northern Nigeria. The study is contextualized within the theory of transnational feminism to argue that digital practices among non-Western women are more than merely a technological advancement and are significantly attuned to the socio-political climate of their societies. Therefore, as the #MeToo movement which began in the West goes global, women in Northern Nigerian have found a space to effect social change by resisting socio-cultural practices that challenge their social agency. Using the interview method, we articulate the uniqueness of #ArewaMeToo as a movement that is rooted in specific sociocultural challenges of Nigerian society. We also contend that ethnographic studies produce robust data to understand cultural specificity and enable solutions to address the problems raised by the movement. Keywords: #ArewaMeToo, Northern Nigeria, Sexual violence, Women, Digital feminism
Introduction With the advent of the global #MeToo movement that started in the United States in 2017, many women across the world have localized the protest to address similar problems [...]