You can survive humiliation. “I know it’s hard,” says Lewinsky. “It may not be painless, quick, or easy, but you can insist on a different ending to your story.” 

At only 22 she was labelled as a “predatory” White House intern; called “little tart” by The Wall Street Journal, “Portly Pepperpot” by The New York Post. 

“I lost my reputation. I was publicly identified as someone I didn’t recognize. And I lost my sense of self.”

And this was all before the age of the internet, blogs and social media.

On March 19, 2015, Monica Lewinsky spoke at TED2015, breaking her silence and speaking up for survivors of online bullying and harassment.

This isn’t simply about her story, she said to the New York Times. This was about using it to help others.

Watch the full TED Talk, “The Price Of Shame”: