Santa Monica Celebrates Denim Day For Sexual Violence Prevention

From The City of Santa Monica: The City of Santa Monica and the Commission on the Status of Women will commemorate the 20th anniversary of Denim Day on the steps of City Hall on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The annual sexual violence prevention education campaign reminds people everywhere that “there is no excuse and never an invitation to rape.”

"I am proud of Santa Monica's recognition of and participation in Denim Day,” said Mayor Gleam Davis. “We must use this occasion to reinforce the message that everyone should feel safe in our community and that we will not tolerate sexual harassment, abuse, assault, or rape."

This is the third official Denim Day in Santa Monica where all Santa Monicans are invited to wear jeans with a purpose.

“A recent national survey found that 81 percent of women and 43 percent of men say they have experienced sexual harassment or assault during their lifetimes,” said L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. “Over the past few years we have made great strides in the fight against sexual harassment, but we can and must do more. That is why I am delighted that Santa Monica is marking its third Denim Day, and that the City is actively fighting to end sexual harassment and assault.”

Denim Day is an international campaign created by the LA-based nonprofit Peace Over Violence. For 20 years, the campaign has provided crucial healing services for survivors of sexual violence while also educating the public about sexual violence, harassment, assault and rape via its accessible call to action: wearing jeans with a purpose. Denim Day recalls an Italian Supreme Court case that sparked international outrage when a judge overturned a lower court’s conviction of a rapist because the victim wore jeans. The judges ruled that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her attacker remove them, thus implying consent.

“The Denim Day campaign is a call to action for all of us,” said Patti Giggans, Founder of Denim Day and Executive Director of Peace Over Violence. “Wearing jeans is a symbol of protest and a message of solidarity with survivors. Every two minutes, someone is sexually assaulted in America - and often the victim is blamed. The Denim Day campaign is designed to challenge all of us to change our thinking about sexual assault and our relationship with violence and rape, and to inspire everyone to prevent interpersonal violence in our homes, schools, and communities.”