Denim Day was first celebrated in 1999 when an Italian court granted the appeal of a rapist and overturned his sentence. Sparking worldwide outrage and protests, Italian women showed up to work wearing denim jeans and other clothing articles. The Californian Senate and Assembly also supported their fellow human beings and, in a show of respect, American women stepped into the Parliament also sporting jeans.

For the 18-year-old girl who was raped in 1992, it began as a normal day when she was picked up by her driving instructor. However, things soon took a turn for the worst when he raped her. Before she was dropped off at home, the rapist threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Later that day, she informed her parents of the incident and soon the rapist was arrested and prosecuted. Yet, a year later, he appealed his case and was granted freedom after the court agreed to his claim that the victim’s tight jeans couldn’t have been taken off without her help.

Sexual assault is traumatizing. It is difficult to discuss and, as a result of this, sexual assault perpetrators often walk away scot-free. Moreover, the survivors and victims are more often than not blamed for the incident. Such attitudes have also led to lax laws that do not help the survivors and the victims much. Denim Day, thus, aims to rid the world of such attitudes and laws to bring about real justice and support to the ones who deserve it. 

Our community raises awareness on the last Friday of April. We wear “jeans for justice t-shirts” and denim as a reminder to start the conversation for all survivors of sexual assault.