Chancellor Bonnie Irwin participated in Denim Day today.
To mark Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo’s Office of Equal Opportunity/Title IX encouraged all in the university community to wear denim today as a symbol against sexual assault and a commitment to consent.
“The work that our OEO/Title IX Office is so important in raising awareness and helping to prevent sexual violence,” says Chancellor Irwin. “I admire the student workers’ dedication to highlighting this important issue and showing up to support survivors.”
Now globally recognized, Denim Day was created in in response to a 1999 ruling from the Italian Supreme Court overturning a rape conviction based on the fact that the victim was wearing tight jeans. The Court ruled that the victim must have helped the perpetrator in removing the jeans, thereby giving consent. As a sign of protest to the ruling, members of the Italian Parliament wore jeans to work.
The UH Hilo community was encouraged to wear denim today as a symbol against sexual assault and a commitment to consent.
Full story and more photos at UH Hilo Stories.