Denim Day is on April 24
On April 24th, Hands of Hope Resource Center, along with thousands of individuals and organizations across the country, will observe Denim Day during the Sexual Assault Awareness Month to honor and support victims and survivors of sexual violence. As part of this campaign, Hands of Hope Resource Center has launched its 3rd Annual Denim Day Raffle fundraising event that will culminate with several cash prize drawings ranging from $100 to $2,500 on April 24th.
How did Denim Day come about? In 1992 an 18-year-old Italian girl was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor. While he was initially convicted of the crime and sent to prison, the ruling was later overturned by the Italian Supreme Court because the justices felt that because the victim wore tight jeans, she must have helped remove them thereby making the act consensual. The following day the women of the Italian Legislature protested this decision by wearing jeans to work. As news of the decision spread, so did the protests. In 1999, Peace Over Violence, an agency in Los Angeles, CA established the first Denim Day in the US. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day on the last Wednesday of April has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. In this rape prevention education campaign, we ask community members, elected officials, businesses, and students to make a social statement with their fashion by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault. Participating in Denim Day provides a wonderful opportunity for the local communities to show solidarity with survivors of abuse and to encourage open discussion about how we can work in our personal and professional lives to reduce victim blaming and violence in our communities.
If interested in supporting Hands of Hope Resource Center’s mission by purchasing a $20 raffle ticket, please contact an advocate at 320-632-1657 (Little Falls office) or 320-732-2319 (Long Prairie office). Only 500 tickets will be sold.
