AROOSTOOK COUNTY, Maine — Aroostook Mental Health Center’s Sexual Assault Services invites the public to join in the 20th annual International Denim Day on Wednesday, April 24, and wear jeans to raise awareness for sexual violence.
This movement stems from an Italian case in 1992, in which an 18-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor on her first driving lesson. She immediately reported the incident, and her offender was charged and convicted of rape. However, in 1999, her assailant appealed and the court overturned the conviction. They ruled that because the woman had on “very tight jeans,” she must have helped her assailant remove them, thus making the assault “consensual.” The Italian legislature began to protest this decision by wearing jeans.
This event is part of April Sexual Assault Awareness Month, in which the goal is to prevent sexual violence and reduce the stigma that surrounds survivors.
To speak with an advocate regarding sexual violence, whether it happened to you or someone you know, call 1-800-871-7741 to be connected to a local advocate.
