On Sexual Assault Awareness

Tomorrow is Denim Day and for those of you who don't know what that is... here is a little run down. In 1990's Italy, an 18 year old girl was picked up by her married 45 year old driving teacher. He then drove to an isolated area, forced her out of one leg of her jeans and raped her, threatening death if she told anyone. When she got home, she told her parents and they started the process of pressing charges. The rapist was arrested, convicted, and sentenced to jail. However, he appealed the sentence and after making it all the way to the Italian Supreme Court, the case was dismissed within a matter of days. The judge ruled that because the girl was wearing very tight jeans she had to have helped him take them off, making it consensual sex, not rape. Thus Denim Day began! Women wore jeans to work in protest to this outrageous ruling.

It seems ridiculous to me that such a thing could be allowed in our world. There is a common misconception that a victim of rape could have done something to prevent it by not wearing certain types of clothes. What a load of bullshit. That is like saying a store owner could prevent robbery simply by asking the thief not to steal. When someone is threatening you, you can't just say "oh, no thanks, I don't feel like being raped today." 

Take a moment to think about the horrors of rape. One in six American women are victims of an attempted or completed rape. According to the LA Police Department, there were 1,117 rapes were during the year 2003, with only 260 rape suspects arrested. WHAT?! Why are these rapists allowed to walk free? It is sending a message that this is okay, that if you RAPE someone, you won't be punished. How is that okay? We need to take a stand. 

No one deserves to be raped. NO ONE. No matter what they choose to wear. Wear your tightest jeans tomorrow in support of Denim Day. It starts with you. 

Learn more at http://denimdayusa.org

Trust me, guys, consent is sexy.