It is hard to be shocked by the most explosive and acrimonious presidential race in recent memory, but Donald Trump's comments about women have ignited a furious reaction.

In a video filmed 11 years ago, but only just unearthed, the Republican presidential candidate brags about trying to grope and kiss women and says: "When you're a star, they let you do it.

"Grab them by the p****. You can do anything."

The footage has inspired women to share their experiences of sexual harassment and assault on social media under the Twitter hashtag #NotOkay.

Trump: I was wrong and I apologise

Canadian author Kelly Oxford began the online conversation by tweeting: "Women: tweet me your first assaults. They aren't just stats.


"I'll go first: Old man on city bus grabs my p**** and smiles at me, I'm 12."

Other women soon started sharing their stories.

One wrote: "Co-worker at a coffee shop grabbed my p**** in the alley while we were taking out the trash: 'I thought you wanted it.' #notokay".

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Another tweeted: "1st I can recall: 14 & man at the pub library tried to look up my uniform skirt from the bottom bookshelf w/a mirror #notokay."

Other tweets included: "12yo, a man grabbed my crotch from behind while I was crossing Times Sq & holding my mom's hand in traffic. #notokay."

An hour later, Kelly Oxford tweeted again to say: "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."

Donald Trump has apologised for the comments, saying: "Anyone who knows me knows these words don't reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong and I apologise."

The Republican candidate has weathered social media storms before and his core group of supporters remain fully behind him.

Some analysts are speculating, however, that other Republican voting groups who were reluctantly behind Trump - such as Mormons and college-educated women - may now stay at home rather than vote for a candidate they feel uneasy about.

Donald Trump will be keen to try to change the narrative before Sunday's crunch television debate.

:: You can watch the second presidential debate on Sky News from midnight. It will be repeated in full from 8am on Monday.