Denim Day, the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history, originated in 1999 in response to a sexual assault conviction that was overturned by the Italian Supreme Court. The court argued that because the 18-year-old assault victim had been wearing very tight jeans, she must have helped the perpetrator remove them, which demonstrated consent. In protest, women in Italy’s Parliament wore jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court in an act of solidarity that became the catalyst for the international campaign known as Denim Day.
On Wednesday, Apr. 30, from 11 am to 2 pm on the second floor of the Newman Vertical Campus, representatives from the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence will showcase “The Clothesline Project,” an installation to increase awareness for survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Additional representatives from local nonprofit organizations will provide information and resources and answer questions. This event is hosted by Baruch College’s Title IX Office, Office of Legal Affairs, Labor Relations and Compliance, the Office of Student Life, and the Office of Human Resources.