Was Blog Post

Katie Walker 5/18/18



Ciao, Denim Day

Roughly 19 years ago Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit that works toward freeing

victims of sexual, domestic and interpersonal violence, started the Denim Day campaign.

While many back the notion, knowing it is to support victims of sexual assault, they are

not aware of the occurrence it came from.

This campaign was an immediate response to a rape case that made its way to the

Italian Supreme Court in the 1990s.

An 18-year old girl was with her 45-year old driving instructor when he took her to a

secluded area and raped her. He then proceeded to threaten her life if she told anyone.

She later explained the situation to her parents and pressed charges as a result. The

man was arrested and eventually convicted of rape.

The perpetrator had later appealed the jail sentence he was served with, making its way

to the Italian Supreme Court. The case was overturned and dismissed due to the Chief Judges claim that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped him take them off and that their interaction was consensual.

Infuriated by the decision, the women in the Italian Parliament protested by wearing

jeans to work the next day and once the action made its way to the states, Peace Over Violence adopted the movement and gave us Denim Day.

Denim Day takes place on a Wednesday in April each year. In 2019, the day will take

place on Wednesday, April 24. The campaign encourages everyone, near and far, to wear denim and spread awareness on sexual assault.