Join Transitions for Denim Day

April 26^th, 2017 marks the 18^th celebration of Peace Over Violence’s Denim Day.  If you are not already familiar with this event, Denim Day is the annual violence prevention day sponsored by a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, Peace Over Violence.  Over 11 million people across the country participated in 2016.  It is held in April every year as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The Denim Day campaign began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, and the justices believed she must have helped her rapist remove them, 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, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault.

Denim Day focuses on raising awareness about abuse and violence against women and children. According to a recent study by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) every two minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.  Recent research released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that the per-victim lifetime cost of rape is $122,461. 

Participating in Denim Day provides an opportunity for our community to show solidarity with survivors of abuse around the country and to encourage open discussion about how we can work in our personal and professional lives to reduce violence in our communities. 

There are many ways to show support for survivors of sexual violence on Denim Day:

                                                                                                                                                          

·       Wearing jeans (especially if they are not part of your normal work wear);

·       Wearing a denim shirt or blazer;

·       Wearing a Denim Day button or t-shirt;

·       Posting educational posters in your office, classroom, or dorm during the month of April.

·       Sponsoring a Denim Day event at work where employees pay a small fee to wear jeans.  Proceeds may be donated to programs, like Transitions, whose mission is to prevent sexual violence.

If you are interested in participating in Denim Day, contact outreach@transitionsofpa.org to request materials and information.

Written by: Heather O., Programs Director