Denim Day 2016
Tau Kappa Epsilon’s Professional Staff is proud to support Denim Day, a campaign originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent.
The following day, women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it.
Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against flawed and destructive attitudes about sexual assault and a way to raise awareness during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
“In this rape prevention education campaign we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault,” reads a statement on the Denim Day website.
The conditions that have allowed rape and other forms of sexual violence to persist are changing--not because of the news cycle or social fads, but because norms are being challenged by people like you. You have chosen to recognize that sexual violence is everyone's issue. It's time to take action for change.
This is a promise, a message to the entire community. It is a rallying cry for everyone to engage, to connect and to take leadership on this issue.
One on one. One by one.
I promise to uphold these 4 actions:
1. To recognize that sexual violence is everyone's issue.
2. Participate in the national conversation about rape and sexual violence with the hashtags #GearUp & #DenimDay
3. To support survivors and not blame the victim.
4. To engage in healthy and violence-free relationships
Learn more about the campaign at DenimDayInfo.org.
Show your support for Denim Day by using #GearUp and #DenimDay on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.