BONNIE BRAE BOYS SUPPORT JERSEY BATTERED WOMEN’S SHELTER
On April 24th, 2019, the Bonnie Brae youth and staff celebrated “Denim Day” as a means to raise awareness of sexual assault and educate our community about the consequences of abusive interactions. During Denim Day, the boys learned about consent and rape culture, and were given an opportunity to sign “Pledge Pants” if they vowed to never engage in sexually abusive behaviors in the future. As April is also Sexual Assault Awareness month, the Kiwanis cottage residents also used this time as an opportunity to fundraise. Throughout the month, they sold candy-grams to their peers and staff. With the money raised, they chose to purchase necessary goods to donate to the Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter. Last week a representative from Jersey Battered Women’s Shelter came to campus and picked up the items the boys’ purchased. They were more than happy to load everything in her truck, happy to be making a difference. To view more photos from denim day, visit https://www.facebook.com/pg/bonniebraenj/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1586580151479390
“For the past 20 years, Peace Over Violence has run its Denim Day campaign on a Wednesday in April in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. 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. The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence 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 symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual harassment, abuse, assault and rape. In this sexual violence prevention and education campaign we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible means of protest against the misconceptions that surround sexual violence.” From www.denimdayinfo.org
