This dissertation consists of three papers produced from a content analysis of news articles that was used to build an original database of sexual misconduct allegations. Understanding the #MeToo movement as a pivotal event in the development, reception, and publicization of sexual misconduct allegations, this dissertation examines the social dynamics underlying these allegations. As a social movement, the #MeToo movement utilized the power of scandal to pressure organizations to respond with definitive action against individuals accused of sexual misconduct. Drawing on theories of scandal and social movements, this dissertation presents new evidence for our understanding of the broader social impact of these sexual misconduct scandals and how they connect to the rapidly evolving popular culture phenomenon known as cancel culture. The first two chapters focus on institutional variation in responses to high-profile sexual misconduct allegations. In the first chapter, I present a comparative case study to highlight the different institutional dynamics as these high-profile sexual misconduct allegations developed. I find evidence for the importance of symbolic capital in sanctions for misconduct, as well as the perceived replaceability of the accused in influencing the institutional response. In the second chapter, I use an event history analytic approach to highlight the structural factors that influence the trajectory of cancellation events. I find that the timing and duration of cancellation events are influenced by the fame of the individual and status within the organization. Whether or not the cancellation event is voluntary can be traced to specific institutional contexts and status differentials. The third chapter analyzes a specific subset of sexual misconduct allegations across the ten-year period centered on the onset of the #MeToo movement. Using legislators in the United States as a specific institutional context, this chapter presents an original typology of scandal trajectories to highlight the structural factors that influence the way in which elected officials approach reelection campaigns, retirements, resignations, and expulsions as the result of congressional investigations. These trajectories are supplemented with a descriptive analysis that provides support for differences at the level of party affiliation, seniority of the elected official, and the political context of different time periods.