CLAREMORE, Okla. — The last Wednesday of April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is known as Denim Day.
Across the world, people wear denim to support survivors of sexual assault and take a stand against victim blaming.
Why is it called Denim Day?
In Italy in 1992 an 18-year old girl was raped by her 45-year old driving instructor.
He was convicted and sent to jail. Years later the Italian Supreme Court orverturned the conviction saying because the victim was wearing very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was not rape but consensual sex. This became known throughout Italy as the “jeans alibi.”
Women in the Italian Parliament launched a protest wearing jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court. This protest was picked up by international media and became an event across the world to bring awareness to victim blaming and destructive myths that surround sexual violence.
Students at Rogers State University took part this year.
"Victim blaming makes my heart hurt," said Cambrey Harrison, a student at RSU.
Harrison stopped by RSU's booth for Denim Day. She said events like this are key in supporting survivors of sexual assault and changing attitudes about who's to blame.
"It shouldn't matter what the person was wearing. There's no excuse to do unspeakable acts upon people, and it just hurts," Harrison said.
Its Title IX coordinator, Jeana Rae Conn, said the blame game goes beyond clothing.
"Did you fight back? Did you say no? How much had you had to drink? Why were you out at 3 a.m.?" Conn said. "At the end of the day, the individual that is to be blamed for a rape is the person that chose to take whatever thoughts are in their mind, those intrusive thoughts, and to act on them, regardless of any consequences, regardless of what it does to the person."
They set up a booth stocked with stickers, posters, and resources. Students and staff gathered around, donning denim.
"The way you present yourself should not be an excuse for anybody to take what you hold sacred. Just because I'm wearing a crop top or just because I'm wearing shorts or skinny jeans, or you can see my bra strap, that's no excuse for rape or sexual harassment," Harrison said.
For students like Harrison, Denim Day is a sign of hope for a future without victim-blaming.
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