Denim Day was celebrated by the University of Wyoming community on Wednesday, April 26 as a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month to support victims of sexual assault and violence. Multiple student organizations teamed up with Green Dot and UW Violence Prevention to show support for survivors on Denim Day and help those in need.
“Denim Day is a day to show survivors that we support them and to remind people there is never an excuse to assault someone sexually,” Violence Prevention Program Manager Michelle DiPasquale said.
“It is also a Green Dot day of action, we want to remind the community there are things they can do, all year round, to prevent sexual violence. You can attend a Green Dot training and learn how to intervene in potentially harmful situations.”
The Denim Day campaign began in 1999 as part of an international protest of an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans.
The Italian Supreme Court dismissed the charges against a 45-year-old rape suspect because his 18-year-old victim was wearing jeans at the time of the attack. The Head Judge argued that because the victim wore very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them.
The judgment sparked a worldwide outcry. Denim Day is a symbol of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault.
Aquatics and Risk Management Coordinator for Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center Adam Comeau was one of countless organizations tabling in the Union on Wednesday to help support the cause.
“Denim Day is about showing support for survivors and showing a sense of community. Looking out for one another is very important,”Comeau said.
Student Survivor Group (SSG) also tabled in the Union and provided support by listening to people and their stories, giving them a chance to be heard. SSG also provided counseling resources that anyone may need,
“Denim Day means believing survivors and acknowledging that rape culture is present and how rape culture needs to be changed. It’s a day to show survivors that we are acknowledged and not forgotten,” President and Founder Jenna Hoobler said.
“Survivors are more than their story. I am much more than a survivor. I am sitting here as a representative for survivors, and I am much more than my story.”
NO MORE is a public awareness and engagement campaign to end domestic violence and sexual assault, and a part of the Equal Opportunity Report and Response (EORR) Unit organization.
Using its signature blue symbol to increase visibility and foster greater dialogue, NO MORE seeks to break social stigma, normalize the conversation around domestic violence and sexual assault, and increase resources to address these urgent issues.
“Nobody asks to be sexually assaulted. Nobody wants it to happen. We want to help support people and even if it’s something small as wearing denim or being a part of a committee on campus or doing something to make a difference, we’re going to do it,” EORR Office Manager Kaila Milles said.
“Whether it be wearing denim or doing an activity with Green Dot, there are a lot of ways that we can help support students and employees who have experienced sexual assault and domestic violence.”
NO MORE’s main message was to ensure victims know they are not at fault for any assault they may have experienced and should not be afraid to ask for help.
“Students can support sexual assault survivors by believing them. Students are more likely to confide in a friend that they have been harmed before telling anyone else,” DiPasquale said.
“As a friend, listen to them, ask how they want to be supported, remind them it is not their fault and believe them.”
