In the early 1990s in Italy, an 18-year-old girl was raped by her 45-year-old driving instructor. Threatened with death if she spoke out, she bravely brought the case to court, leading to the perpetrator's conviction and imprisonment for rape. However, shockingly, the Italian Supreme Court later overturned the conviction citing an absurd rationale: the victim wore tight jeans, implying consent as it would have been deemed impossible to remove them without her active participation. Outrage erupted nationwide, with women in the Italian Parliament donning jeans in protest, followed by solidarity from the California Senate and Assembly. In 2008, justice prevailed as the case was revisited and the Supreme Court acknowledged that a woman's attire should never justify or excuse the violence inflicted upon her.

Peace Over Violence, an organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and youth violence, was founded in 1971. They launched the Denim Day campaign to commemorate this case and shed light on the damaging practice of victim blaming and the misconceptions surrounding sexual violence. Observed annually on April 29th during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the campaign urges individuals worldwide to wear denim as a symbol of solidarity against sexual violence and to challenge societal misconceptions.

MORE ON DENIM DAY