Denim Day
Join us at The Mob Museum on April 27, 2022 as we, and millions of people across the world, wear jeans to support sexual assault survivors and to raise awareness about all forms of sexual violence. Participate on social media by posting a photo of yourself in your jeans with hashtags #DenimDay #DenimDay2022 #MobMuseumDenimDay2022 #SAAM
Why Denim?
In Rome in 1992, an instructor picked up an 18-year-old girl for her first driving lesson. He took her to an isolated road, pulled her out of the car, removed her jeans and forcefully raped her. That night, she told her parents, who then helped her press charges. He was convicted of rape and sentenced to jail. Years later, he appealed to the Italian Supreme Court, which overturned the conviction and released him from prison. The court argued that her jeans were tight and the only way to have removed them was if she had helped her attacker, making the act consensual. The following day, women in the Italian Parliament launched a protest wearing denim and holding signs that read, “Jeans: An Alibi for Rape.” International media attention brought protests all the way to Los Angeles, CA, and Denim Day is now an annual global event. In 2008, the Italian Supreme Court overturned its earlier finding, and “denim” is no longer a defense for rape.
Learn more about Denim Day at denimdayinfo.org