Denim Day 2025 Los Angeles Rally Speech, Patti Giggans, Denim Day Founder
From left to right: Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, Supervisor Hilda Solis. Denim Day Founder and POC Executive Director/CEO Patti Giggans, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez’, General Manager, Community Investment for Families Department Abigail Marquez, Councilwoman Heather Hutt, Project Director, Deaf, Disabled & Elder Services at Peace Over Violence Peggie Reyna
Good morning and welcome to Denim Day in LA 2025! Thank you for coming here today.
Denim Day started as a small localized Los Angeles event and over the years it has grown into a national and global campaign - and movement. It started as a protest against harmful attitudes and misconceptions surrounding sexual violence - that by the way still persist!, - a major purpose was to put a stop to victim blaming - which also still persists. Now it is the longest running sexual violence prevention education campaign in history - and we need it more than ever.
The purpose of Denim Day is to educate, advocate, promote healing, and prevent sexual violence in all its forms - child sexual abuse, teen dating violence, sexual harassment, elder abuse, abuse of persons with disabilities, abuse in the deaf community, the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants, trafficking, rape in prison, rape during war, and rape during marriage.
Your presence here - TODAY - all decked out in your denim along with millions around the country and world wearing jeans on purpose is a critical statement.
Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month in April has been officially recognized by Presidents of the United States every year since 2009, starting with President Obama. The current President shared harmful, wrong and inflammatory information in his proclamation, attacking immigrants and detracting from the reality of sexual assault.
The proclamation says, and I quote: “One of the leading causes of sexual violence over the last 4 years has been the invasion of illegal aliens at our southern border. In a treasonous act of betrayal against the American people, the previous administration unleashed an army of gangs and criminal aliens from the darkest and most dangerous corners of the world — causing a dramatic increase of sexual violence in our neighborhoods and communities.”
NOT TRUE
This statement from the President of the United States is wrong, erroneous, and dangerous. This messaging does not make us safer because it is a lie.
The truth is: immigrants, migrants, and asylum seekers are not driving sexual violence in this country.
Every 68 seconds another American is sexually assaulted. Most acts of rape, sexual violence and sexual harassment are committed by persons known to the victims.
The truth is: undocumented victim/survivors are often targeted for abuse, and are much less likely to report sexual violence out of fear.
Myths and misinformation do not keep us safe, and in fact can obstruct and distract from the realities.
There is no excuse and never an invitation to rape, abuse, assault, harrass. We must use our voices to tell the truth.
Our current government is defunding victims services along with many other safety net programs and government agencies. Sexual violence and domestic violence prevention funding has been eliminated at the Department of Health and Human Services.
DO YOU THINK THIS A GOOD IDEA?
The opportunity to apply for grants at OVW - the Office of Violence Against Women - has stopped.
DO YOU THINK THIS IS A SMART AND SAFE THING TO DO?
The progress and programs that have been developed over the last 50 years are unravelling. We are under siege from our own government.
In the last 100 days, we have been overwhelmed by confusion, chaos and fear. At the same time, there is a resistance. In 100 days, there have been 230 lawsuits filed and thousands of protests across the US. Wearing denim today and advocating for survivors and violence prevention is an act of resistance.
WILL YOU ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITIES?
WILL YOU USE YOUR VOICE TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES?
Denim Day is a global campaign because sexual violence is a global issue. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men will experience sexual violence in their lifetime. There are Denim Days going on in hundreds of cities and businesses and schools and universities today across the land - NYC, Milwaukee, Atlanta, Sacramento, and in other countries, like Canada, the Netherlands, Mexico, and the list goes on. People across the glove are using their voices in many languages.
We will continue to educate, advocate, empower, mobilize and resist until there is no longer the need.
We must continue to use our voices - not just today, not just during this month, but every day. The progress we make will be because we are in solidarity and because we care about each other.
Once again thank you for being here.
Patti Giggans
Denim Day Founder & Executive Director/CEO at Peace Over Violence