FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA)
Brie Franklin, Executive Director, brie@ccasa.org, c: (970) 673-7516
Raana Simmons, Director of Policy, raana@ccasa.org, c: (727) 421-7547
Colorado Denim Day Coincides with Senate Judiciary Hearing on Campus Sexual Misconduct Bill
Denver – Wednesday, April 25th, 2018 – In 1999, a case in Italy came to worldwide attention when a young woman accused her 45-year-old driving instructor of brutally raping her during a driving lesson. He was sentenced to 34-months in prison before the case made its way to the Italian high court. There, the sentence was overturned; the Chief Judge argued, “because the victim wore very, very tight jeans, she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”
Within a matter of hours the women in the Italian Parliament, enraged by the verdict, launched into immediate action and protested by wearing jeans on the steps of the Italian Parliament building. Immediately, this image spread internationally, and in Sacramento members of the California Senate and Assembly followed suit by wearing jeans on the steps of the Capitol. This was the beginning of what has now become a worldwide event and movement to wear jeans as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault.
On Colorado Denim Day, April 25, 2018, individuals, businesses, and state agencies throughout Colorado, including the General Assembly, will show their visible sign of support for survivors of sexual violence by wearing jeans to work on Denim Day. “The irony is not lost on us that, on this day, the Senate Judiciary Committee will be hearing HB-1391, a bill that addresses campus sexual misconduct to ensure that students can have safe and meaningful access to education,” states Brie Franklin, CCASA Executive Director. “In addition to wearing jeans, we ask members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to cast a yes vote and show their support for survivors by backing legislation that upholds an equitable process for all students.”
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About CCASA:
The Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA) is a membership organization promoting safety, justice, and healing for survivors while working toward the elimination of sexual violence. To learn more about CCASA, please visit www.ccasa.org.
About Denim Day: