For collegiettes like Kelly Gulden, the average Thursday entails a morning gym visit, a few classes and long studying session all while sporting her warm, cozy sweatpants; but this Thursday will be different. On April 28, Gulden will be wearing jeans along with other TCNJ students in support of New Jersey’s Denim Day.
Denim Day is a nationally recognized campaign that aims to raise awareness about sexual assault and violence against women. National Denim Day is April 27, New Jersey’s Denim Day is April 28. The campaign began as a result of a Supreme Court ruling in Italy that outraged women around the world.
“An eighteen year old girl in Italy was taking driving lessons, and her driving instructor pulled over to a secluded area, raped her and then abandoned her,” says Jackie Deitch-Stackhouse, the Coordinator of the Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives on campus.
The rapist pled guilty, but in 1999 the case was appealed.
“The judge ruled that the victim must have consented to sex since her jeans were too tight for the rapist to take them off himself,” said Deitch-Stackhouse.
In response to the case, men and women around the world began to wear denim to protest the Court’s decision.
In support of Denim Day, this coming Thursday the Office of Anti-Violence Initiatives will be displaying a clothesline of donated and decorated jeans in the Library Atrium.
The display is intended to raise awareness about sexual violence and how it is important that we don’t pin guilt on the victim, said Deitch-Stackhouse.
So come out this Thursday in your best pair of jeans to stand up against rape and sexual violence.