City of Palmdale employees show support for “Denim Day”

PALMDALE – City of Palmdale employees wore denim on April 27 in support of the 22nd Denim Day, a cause to raise awareness about sexual assault and to show support for survivors. The campaign is presented by Peace Over Violence, a non-profit agency designed to educate the public about rape and sexual assault.

“We proudly support and participate in causes like Denim Day that help raise awareness about important issues such as sexual violence,” said Palmdale Mayor Steve Hofbauer.

About Denim Day

For the past 22 years, Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The campaign was originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent.

The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.

Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. In this rape prevention education campaign, we ask community members, elected officials, businesses, and students to make a social statement with their fashion by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault.

For more information contact Peace Over Violence at 310-392-8381 or visit www.peaceoverviolence.org.

[Information via news release from the city of Palmdale.]

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