There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape
For the past 21 years, Peace Over Violence has run an inspiring and powerful opportunity to practice solidarity and support survivors by renewing our commitment to exposing harmful behaviors and attitudes surrounding sexual violence. Denim Day is a campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, what started as a local campaign to bring awareness to victim blaming and destructive myths that surround sexual violence has grown into a movement. As the longest running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history, Denim Day asks community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.
Italy, 1990s
The Denim Day story begins in Italy in 1992, when an 18-year old girl was raped by the 45-year old driving instructor who was taking her to her very first driving lesson. He took her to an isolated road, pulled her out of the car, removed her jeans and forcefully raped her.
She reports the rape and the perpetrator is arrested and prosecuted. He is then convicted of rape and sentenced to jail. Years later, he appealed the conviction claiming that they had consensual sex. The Italian Supreme Court overturned the conviction and the perpetrator was released. A statement from the Court argued that because the victim was wearing very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was not rape but consensual sex. This became known throughout Italy as the “jeans alibi.”
Enraged by the verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament launched a protest wearing jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court. This protest was picked up by international media which inspired the California Senate and Assembly to do the same on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento. Patti Occhiuzzo Giggans, Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, saw this in the media and thought everyone should be wearing jeans to protest all of the myths about why women and girls are raped. Denim Day in LA was born. The first Denim Day in LA event was held in April of 1999, and has continued annually since.
Sources
All info gathered from NSVRC
https://www.denimdayinfo.org/why-denim
April 27, 2022
Today is Denim Day and @innertruthproject , @irscriverlife , @irsctheriver , @saaptc19 , 19th Circuit State Attorneys Office, @portstluciepd , @safespacefl , @jlindianriver , UP Center, @cilotcvictimservices and people in our community want you to know we 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀𝐆𝐀𝐈𝐍𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐗𝐔𝐀𝐋 𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐁𝐘 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐌!
If you would like to know all about how denim day started look at our video below and see how 23 years later we’re making even more strides, but we still have a long way to go to protest the myths for survivors of sexual assault.
It doesn’t matter what you were wearing. Clothing doesn’t equal voluntary consent!
Not only today, but everyday we stand in solidarity for all survivors of sexual assault by educating the community on prevention and awareness for any type of sexual violence. We wear jeans with a purpose to support, believe, and stand with survivors year long
❣︎ 𝕋𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕛𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕤 𝕕𝕠 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕖𝕢𝕦𝕒𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕖𝕟𝕥 ❣︎
April 28, 2021
Denim day is about letting sexual assault survivors know that they are not alone. Along the Treasure Coast we have come together to support you in a way that lets you know that we are here. We stand with you in solidarity and support you. What you wear does not mean it’s okay to be raped. We are here to listen, believe you, and comfort you. Your voice shall always be heard to us and we will continue to fight for your rights as advocates, friends, family, prosecutors, and peers of your community
Pets & children approved
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