WASHINGTON — People across the world will be standing in solidarity with victims of sexual assault by wearing jeans and denim on Wednesday.
Denim Day falls on the last Wednesday of April, near the end of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The worldwide movement is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
On each Denim Day, elected officials, businesses and students are asked to wear jeans or denim as a "means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual violence."
What is Denim Day?
While the first official Denim Day event in Los Angeles was hosted in April 1999, the story behind the campaign goes back a few years.
In 1992, an 18-year-old woman in Italy was raped by her 45-year-old driving instructor, who was then sentenced to jail on a rape conviction.
Years later, the driving instructor appealed his sentence on claims that the act was "consensual." The Italian Supreme Court overturned the man's rape conviction, arguing that the victim wore tight jeans and must've helped the man removed her pants -- resulting in an implied consent.
Following the 1999 ruling, women in the Italian Parliament launched a protest by wearing denim on the steps of the country's Supreme Court, according to Peace Over Violence.
Inspired by the Italian lawmakers, the California Senate and Assembly wore denim on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento in solidarity with the protest, the organization says.
The Denim Day movement was born as a direct result of the international outrage following the overturned ruling.
The movement has been recognized each year since its inception in 1999.
Editor’s note: This story includes discussion of sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
