Students, staff and faculty at the University of British Columbia Okanagan campus are being asked to stand up for sexual assault and rape victims by wearing denim January 18th.
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), Denim Day aims to raise awareness and fight for a respectful campus.
The annual event at the university, organized by students, makes a statement about sexual assault, consent, and gender-based violence.
Denim Day started after an Italian court overturned a rape charge in 1998 because the victim was wearing tight jeans. Because the victim's jeans were tight, the ruling stated that she had to have helped remove them and as a result gave consent to her attacker.
Angered by this ruling, people around the world showed support for the victim by wearing denim and have done so year after year.
Starting at noon at January 18th, the Denim Day Clothesline Project begins in the Fipke Centre foyer at UBC.
Activities include a community art project and people are asked to bring denim that can be painted and decorated. The pieces will then be hung for the rest of the UBC community to see.
Sexual assault awareness activities continue throughout the month of January at UBC.
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