With April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it is more important than ever to keep the conversation going, while continuing to offer support to survivors. If you didn’t know, Denim Day is a campaign held at the end of April (on a Wednesday), that honors those who have suffered sexual violence. It began as a conversation due to a 1998 Italian court ruling in regards to a case where a rape conviction was overturned, as the ruling found that the victim was wearing tight jeans, and so must have aided the assailant in some way – this led to many women wearing jeans following the verdict in solidarity and protest, and ultimately, that led to what we now know to be Denim Day.
The stigma lies in many opposing the “Me Too” movement claiming that the ones getting assaulted or harassed must have asked for it either by their actions or more often, what they were wearing – which, by all of the cases we can look at, that is not the case as many victims wear jeans or other types of clothing that is not revealing whatsoever.
SF State’s AS Women’s Center hosted Denim Day on campus April 26th in the ROMC from 12:30 – 2 p.m., and 27th in Malcom X Plaza from 12 – 2 p.m. for a 2-day event to bring survivors and allies together in a safe and educational setting to discuss and bring attention to dispel myths and harmful rhetoric that has been said on this topic (art, tea, and snacks included!).
Whether you have had to endure this type of trauma or not, it is never a bad idea to hear someone’s story and learn from their experience. You never know when you could have potentially made a big impact on someone by simply being present and listening. As a survivor myself, I am thrilled that this is being openly discussed, and those who have gone through this type of trauma have a safe space to talk or not talk about their experiences.
Here are some resources on campus for anyone who might need them:
The SAFE Place: https://dos.sfsu.edu/safeplace
Counseling and Psychological Services: https://caps.sfsu.edu/
Non-Campus related resources:
The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline: https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
1-800-656-4673
Learn more about Denim Day: