Denim Day Contest
Denim Day takes place this year on Wednesday, April 27, 2022!
History of Denim Day
In 1992, in Italy a young woman was sexually assaulted by her instructor during a driving lesson. After she reported the sexual assasult, the perpetrator was convicted and sentenced to jail. Years later he appealed the conviction stating it was consensual because the victim was wearing tight jeans and she had to help him remove them, therefore it was consensual. The Italian Supreme court overturned the ruling and he became a free man. Enraged by the verdict, the women in the Italian parliament protested in jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court. This protest was picked up internationally all the way to the state capital of California. Patti Occhiuzzo Giggans the Executive Director Of Peace Over Violence saw this and thought everyone should dedicate a day of wearing denim to protest all the myths of sexual assault against women. Thus the first Denim Day event in April of 1999 and the rest is history.
Source: https://www.denimdayinfo.org/
How to Get Involved for Denim Day?
If you have a pair of denim jeans you don’t wear anymore, Individuals in the UC Merced Community and RCOs & Departments can decorate a pair of denim jeans with the themes of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and showing our support for survivors of sexual violence!
Participate in our Denim Day Contest!
Submissions can be entered into a contest and submissions with the most votes will win a prize!
The contest begins on April 1st and participants need to submit their decorated denim jeans by April 22nd!
We're giving out 3 prizes!
2 Individual Winners - Each will win a SQUISHMALLOW!
RCOs & Departments - $150 Party Meal from Port-of-Subs
If you are interested in submitting jeans for Denim Day and/or participating in our Contest, click here for the participation form or scan the QR Code! Questions are also included for those who need a pair of denim jeans to decorate. LAST DAY TO FILL OUT: April 20th!
Here are some examples of past submissions!
If you have any questions,
Contact us: ucmcare@ucmerced.edu
Send us a DM to our Instagram! @ucmcare
