Denim Day Campaign - A group of people standing in front of a sign

Members of the Nebraska Air National Guard wore jeans in observance of Denim Day April 26, 2017 at the 155th Air Refueling Wing, Lincoln, Nebraska. Wearing jeans on this day is a statement against destructive attitudes about sexual assault and in support of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The Denim Day campaign was originally triggered by a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court in the 1990’s where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. The Peace Over Violence organization developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault. (U.S. Air Force photo taken by Airman 1st Class Jamie Titus/ Released)