Denim Day

Denim Day is an international awareness campaign, which honors survivors of sexual violence and seeks to end victim blaming. It began in 1999, after an Italian woman was raped by her driving instructor. The perpetrator’s conviction was overturned, with Italy’s highest court reasoning that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. This ruling motivated women and men throughout Italy, Europe, and the United States to dedicate a day to wearing jeans, highlighting the misconceptions that surround sexual assault, and supporting survivors.

In Spring 2015, Mayor Tom Barrett and Superintendent of Milwaukee Public Schools, Dr. Darienne Driver, co-chaired Milwaukee’s Denim Day efforts to bring attention to the impact of sexual violence on youth, change the overall conversation around sexual assault, and focus on holding perpetrators accountable, not blaming victims.

Community members were asked to attend a press conference on April 29th in the City Hall Rotunda, engage on social media, and participate in Denim Day events and activities across the city and state.

The City of Milwaukee Office of Violence Prevention and its Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault serve on the planning committee of Denim Day Milwaukee.

Resources

Official Denim Day Milwaukee Website

For More Information

Denim Day Milwaukee
[email protected]