What is Denim Day?

*This article contains language of sexual assault and rape*

Today, on the last Wednesday in April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we wear denim to support victims of Sexual Assault and combat victim blaming. It is used as a way to educate others about sexual assault and show support. 

According to Miami University, “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.”

The History:

In Italy, 1989, 18 year old girl was pick up by her driving teacher for her first driving lesson. He then allegedly took her to an isolated road and raped her. The perpetrator was arrested, prosecuted, convicted of rape, and sentenced to jail. Later, the Italian supreme Court took on the case when the perpetrator asked for an appeal, and they overturned the rape conviction. According to the University of Wisconsin the conviction was overturned “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”

Women around the country were enraged, specifically in the Italian parliament; the next day, they came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. This action motivated the California Senate and Assembly to do the same.

Now Denim Day is the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history. We use Denim Day to support and educate people around us, thank you to all the students who contributed to our pictures of jeans and who took the time to learn what Denim Day is about.