How Denim Day Started: A blog post by Liliana Cornejo
Have you heard about Denim Day?
Denim Day is a campaign to bring awareness to end sexual assault, abuse, and rape. Wearing jeans on the last Wednesday of April each year is not a matter of fashion, but a show of solidarity with the victims and survivors of sexual violence.
In 1992, an 18-year-old girl in Italy was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor on her first day of driving lessons. A complaint was filed with the authorities and the perpetrator was imprisoned. Due to corruption, the aggressor appealed this case to the Supreme Court of Italy, alluding that the jeans the young woman was wearing that day were so tight that there was no way he could have committed the assault without her help. Italy's Supreme Court examined the case and released the aggressor, stating that, "She had to help him take them off, and by taking off her jeans, it was no longer rape, but consensual sex." The next day, in protest of this decision, women of the Italian Parliament decided to wear jeans under the proclamation of "Jeans: An Alibi for Rape". In solidarity with these events, in 1999, Patricia Giggans, the Executive Director of the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women, now named Peace Over Violence, began this campaign known as Denim Day, as a way to raise awareness about sexual violence prevention.
Millions of people are victims of sexual violence every year. In fact, this number underestimates the amount of people affected because many cases are never reported. Sexual violence disproportionately affects women, racial and ethnic minority groups, and minors. The physical and psychological consequences are significant for the survivors. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sexual violence is more common than we think. Sexual violence survivors may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts. Others opt for adverse or risky behaviors that put their physical and mental health, and that of their loved ones, at risk.
Denim Day is an awareness campaign dedicated to reminding and educating us that there is no excuse to accept assault, abuse, or rape. CUNY, show solidarity on Denim Day by wearing denim to bring awareness and support to victims and survivors of sexual violence.
How do you plan to raise awareness about sexual violence?
As CUNY students we must join forces to educate, prevent, and intervene when we witness sexual violence or abuse. Remember sexual harassment and violence is not just physical, it is also verbal. We stand in solidarity with the victims and survivors of sexual violence! You can also advocate for them by spreading awareness!
Resources:
Fast Facts: Preventing Sexual Violence |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC
Sexual Violence is Preventable | CDC
Liliana Cornejo is a CUNY student studying at York College and is a member of the Healthy CUNY Navigator team. Learn more about our Navigators here: https://www.healthycuny.org/navigator-portal