The History of Denim Day and Its Impact Today

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Italy, 1992.  A teenage girl is picked up by her 45 year-old driving instructor for her first lesson.  Instead of teaching her how to drive, the instructor rapes her for over an hour and threatens to kill her if she tells.  The brave young woman discloses the assault to her parents and they support her in filing charges against the perpetrator.  He is arrested, charged, and convicted of the crime.

However, in 1999, on appeal from the perpetrator, the Italian Supreme Court overturned the conviction "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."  This truly horrible decision by the Italian Supreme Court inspired a national and international movement called "Denim Day."  Wearing jeans on this day demonstrates a protest against the erroneous and harmful attitudes about sexual assault.

This year Denim Day is April 23, 2014.  Show your support to sexual assault survivors everywhere by wearing jeans on this day.  Ask your employer to support a Denim Day USA event by allowing their employees to wear jeans to work that day.  Take a picture and send it to us, and we'll share it on our Facebook page to promote your support of sexual assault survivors .  For more information or to send your photo, please e-mail heather_o@transitionsofpa.org.



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