Campus dons denim in support for survivors of sexual violence

The Penn College community joined in Wednesday's national recognition of Denim Day, wearing jeans in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence.

Among the activities organized by the Office of Student Engagement, in conjunction with April's designation as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, were a Love Labyrinth Workshop that explored how emotionally abusive behaviors can make someone feel trapped in a relationship; AIDS resource information tables; and a free webinar about the effects of assault on survivors.

There were also opportunities to express kinship with survivors and rejection of "victim-blaming" through adding a square to the Denim Day Quilt and by writing to survivors that they are supported, believed and loved. The quilt is an ongoing project, while the letters were collected into a book and donated to the Williamsport YWCA's Wise Options floor.

Denim Day originated with opposition to a 1992 Italian Supreme Court decision that overturned a rape defendant's conviction. Because the victim’s jeans were so tight, the justices determined, she must have helped remove them in order for the rape to occur. That, the court ruled, implied consent. Women in the Italian Parliament protested by wearing jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court, attracting international attention and widespread disavowal of the notion that survivors are accountable for the violence perpetrated against them.