18th Annual Denim Day is April 26, 2017
Millions will Wear Jeans to Take a Stand Against Rape and all Forms of Sexual Violence
LOS ANGELES (April __, 2017)—With renewed attention on the crisis of sexual violence, especially the epidemic of college campus sexual assault, people everywhere are invited to make a social statement with their fashion statement by participating in Denim Day on Wednesday, April 26, 2017.
On April 26 in Los Angeles, officials will proclaim Denim Day throughout the city with an official presentation at City Hall. Additionally, Denim Day awareness events are planned on middle school, high school and college campuses throughout the L.A. region. The day will culminate in Santa Monica, with a free concert on the Third Street Promenade by acclaimed singer-musicians and official Denim Day spokescouple Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter.
Now in its 18th year, millions of people everywhere—on campuses and military bases, and in Fortune 500 companies and the halls of government, across the country and world—will wear jeans to raise awareness around sexual violence issues and to support survivors of rape and sexual assault, explained Patti Giggans, Denim Day Founder and Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that organizes the campaign.
Supporters of Denim Day include the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders, the NFL Foundation, the LA Galaxy, Artivist Entertainment, Aura Cacia Essential Oils, Duffy Kruspodin LLP, LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, Union Bank, LA City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, Estey Bomberger Child Abuse Attorneys, LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, LA City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, and LA City Councilmember David Ryu. Additionally, more than 11 million supporters from schools, clubs, corporations and government agencies are expected to sign up on the website to wear jeans this year in recognition of Denim Day, Giggans said.
“Our supporters stand together – wearing denim – to help end rape culture and to say emphatically that sexual violence has no place in our communities – ‘not on my campus, not in my locker room, not in my workplace’ – not anywhere,” Giggans said.
Held each April during Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Denim Day recalls an Italian Supreme Court case that sparked international outrage when a judge overturned a lower court’s conviction of a rapist because the victim wore jeans. The judges ruled that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her attacker remove them, thus implying consent.
“What began as a simple act of protest – wearing our jeans to support a survivor in Italy – has become one of our most visible public education campaigns,” said Patti Giggans, “We ask everyone to wear jeans on April 26 and stand with us to raise awareness about rape and to support survivors.”
With the slogan, “There is No Excuse and Never an Invitation to Rape,” Denim Day is marked annually with events around the US. For 2017, high-profile events will be held in Los Angeles, New York City, Sacramento, Detroit and Milwaukee. As in previous years in greater Los Angeles, the City, County and School District will officially recognize Denim Day and encourage students, staff and employees to wear denim in support of the awareness campaign.
For the fourth year, global lifestyle brand GUESS?, Inc. and the GUESS Foundation have signed on as the official fashion sponsor of Denim Day.
To register for Denim Day and to make your promise to support survivors and not stay silent about sexual assault and rape, please visit http://www.denimdayinfo.org.
Contact:
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Danielle Fairlee Danielle@nakatomipr.com (818) 606-2210 – cell
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