Campus News

The Denim Day sexual violence prevention campaign event will take place at Rockford University on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 PM in the Regents Hall, Student Burpee Center. Rockford University is partnering with the Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Prevention, Rockford Public Schools, Rockford Sexual Assault Counseling, and United Way to help bring this campaign to the Rockford community.

In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness month Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day campaign on a Wednesday in April for over 20 years. The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent. Following the overturn, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans to support the victim. The Denim Day campaign was developed by Peace Over Violence in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against inaccurate and destructive misconceptions about sexual harassment, abuse, assault, and rape.

The Denim Day movement is a sexual violence prevention and education campaign. A panel of speakers from the Rockford area will discuss and answer questions focusing on sexual violence and college students. Wear jeans with a purpose, as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual assault. There is No Excuse and Never An Invitation to Harass, Abuse, Assault, Rape.

Forum Series takes place on the Rockford University campus, 5050 East State Street, Rockford. With the exception of Performing Arts’ events Forum Series event tickets are free, but required and can be obtained by contacting the Box Office at 815-226-4100 or boxoffice@rockford.edu.

This semester’s Forum Series continues through late April. View the full lineup at www.Rockford.edu/forum.