HONOLULU – During a rally at Honolulu Hale Wednesday morning in support of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Mayor Rick Blangiardi proclaimed April 24, 2024 to be Denim Day across the City and County of Honolulu. On Denim Day, supporters are encouraged to wear denim clothing to show support for sex assault survivors and to promote ending victim blaming.
Members of The Sex Abuse Treatment Center (SATC), Hawai‘i Department of Health, Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General, Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, the Honolulu Police Department and other organizations attended today’s ceremony.
“We want to draw as much awareness to this important topic as we possibly can, and we are especially grateful for the efforts of The Sex Abuse Treatment Center and all of the supporters rallying here today for everything they are doing to help prevent sexual assault,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “Unfortunately, we know these incidents still exists today, so we continue to fight. We don’t give up. I believe we can make a big difference in the lives of those impacted by violence, and that’s what this is all about.”
Denim Day originated in 1999, when a Supreme Court in Italy overturned a rape conviction. The justices said the victim must have helped her rapist remove the tight jeans she was wearing, thereby consenting to sex. The day after the ruling, women in the Italian Parliament protested by wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Since then, Denim Day has become one of the longest-running global sexual violence prevention and education campaigns in the world.
“Denim Day is an important part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” said Lynn Costales Matsuoka, the executive director of The Sex Abuse Treatment Center. “We want sex assault victims to know there are entire communities who believe you and are here to support you. We hope everyone stands in solidarity with sex assault survivors not only today, but every day.”
Last year, The Sex Abuse Treatment Center’s confidential crisis hotline (808-524-7273) assisted nearly 2,500 callers and connected more than 1,000 sexual assault survivors with crisis counseling, clinical services and support
In addition to Wednesday’s rally and proclamation ceremony, Mayor Blangiardi announced earlier this week that Honolulu Hale would be illuminated in teal from sunset on April 22 until sunrise on April 27 to commemorate Sex Assault Awareness Month in Hawai‘i. Teal is the color of the sex assault awareness movement.
—PAU—