Denim Day 2023

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and April 26 is one of the days dedicated to bringing light to the issue.

Denim Day happens every year on April 26 reminding the world that assault never has an excuse and clothing is never a reason. Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit that helps people deal with domestic and interpersonal violence began the Denim Day Campaign. For 24 years, Peace Over Violence has held its Denim Day Campaign.

The history of Denim Day actually begin in 1992 in Italy during what should have been an innocent driving lesson, denimday.org said. An 18-year-old girl was raped by her 45-year-old driving instructor. He pulled off onto a road that would be isolated and took off her jeans to assault her.

After reporting the rape, the driving instructor was prosecuted and sent to jail. That should have been the end but it wasn't. The man appealed the conviction years later with "consensual sex" as the reason. The perpetrator was released and the conviction overturned before the Italian Supreme Court.

The court released a statement saying that the girl's jeans were so tight she must have helped to get them off during the incident making it consensual. This is known as the "jeans alibi".

Women in the Italian Parliament were outraged and started a protest, wearing jeans on the steps of The Supreme Court. The protest was picked up by international media outlets leading to the California Senate and others replicating it. The first Denim Day was in 1999.

In Southern Utah, the local nonprofit Dove Center that helps with domestic violence and abuse survivors is encouraging the community to participate in this event. So, wear jeans on Wednesday!