April 25th is Denim Day. City Hall Staff Members and Local Sheriff’s Representatives wore Jeans to work to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault. West Hollywood employees, members of the City Council, Public Safety Commissioners, and personnel from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s West Hollywood Station hosted an event and joined for a group photograph at West Hollywood City Hall on “Denim Day.”
Each April, the City of West Hollywood recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. West Hollywood’s Denim Day participants wore denim jeans in solidarity with an international day of awareness. Earlier this month, on Sunday, April 15, 2018, the City hosted a community outreach event to encourage people to be more aware of sexual assault and to promote a message of consent with its Only Yes Means Yes public awareness effort.
Communities around the world recognize Denim Day by wearing jeans as a way to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault. Denim Day was founded following a 1999 court ruling in Italy in which a rape conviction case was overturned with the argument that, because the victim had been wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, she must have been expressing consent. The City’s Denim Day recognition is organized each year by the City’s Public Safety Department in the spirit of uniting against sexual assault; to break the silence about sexual violence; and to stand up in support of survivors.
This year, the City of West Hollywood is also conducting a Denim Drive for Denim Day, where community members are encouraged to donate gently used denim jeans to the Los Angeles LGBT Youth Center. Collection bins are available during April 2018 in the lobby area of West Hollywood City Hall, located at 8300 Santa Monica Boulevard.
To learn more about Denim Day, visit: denimdayinfo.org
If you or someone you care about has been a victim of sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking, there are resources to help. Contact the Los Angeles County Rape and Battering hotline 24 hours day at (310) 392-8381.
The Los Angeles LGBT Center offers domestic violence/partner abuse counseling services geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities by contacting (323) 993-7649.
The Women Helping Women Services program of the National Council of Jewish Women provides counseling and support to individuals and families by contacting (323) 651-2930.
Amplify the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month message by using the hashtags #DenimDay and #OnlyYes.
The City of West Hollywood provides a variety of helpful tips on its website regarding safety and prevention. To find out more information, please visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.
For more information about Denim Day or the Only Yes Means Yes outreach event, call the City’s Public Safety Department at (323) 848-6414.
