Mind the Gap | Men in positions of authority are in dire need of rules on appropriate workplace behaviour

As a journalist, I love to witness people being burned at the stake. The spectacle never gets boring. The theme that represents the “stake” and the type of heresy may change. But the cheering crowd never fails to congregate – especially on the internet.

But like any witch hunt, the fervour and process grows to a point where anyone who questions any part of the entire process is seen as the enemy and cast into the well. If you sink you are innocent. If you float, you must be a witch and must be burnt at the stake.

Such is the momentum of a self-fulfilling trial. It’s a form of rough justice. Women could begin to face a silent backlash in the business community because of #MeToo. Its lack of due process and its viral characteristics present a new problem.

The past few months have opened up a steady avalanche of stories showing that sexual harassment takes place everywhere, from Hollywood to government. Silence breakers have convincingly showed how prevalent sexual misconduct has become, and how much damage it can do.

But to be clear, all the #MeToo revelations by these brave women were revelations that hadn’t gone through the due process of law, or an open court. That many alleged perpetrators have stepped down, publicly shamed, still doesn’t equate to a conviction in a court of law.