April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and April 25 is Denim Day.

Denim Day started in Italy 19 years ago after a woman’s sexual assault case was overturned because the Supreme Court believed her tight jeans implied consent. Outraged by this decision, women in the Parliament wore jeans to show solidarity for the victim. The Denim Day movement was born.

I’ll be wearing denim on Wednesday, April 25, because I believe that we need to stop blaming survivors. Join me on Denim Day in making UCF black, gold — and denim.

Let’s Be Clear: Sexual violence is never acceptable. At UCF, we’re dedicated to a safe campus, to prevention education through Green Dot, and to support for survivors through Victim Services.

Here are some members of UCF’s faculty and staff wearing denim in solitary for survivors of sexual assault:

group of ucf's undergraduate admissions staff standing in front of pegasus logo and below a black sign with gold lettering 'undergraduate admissions'
From the office of Undergraduate Admissions.

 

ucf police department staff and officers in front of police building with gold pegasus logo on brick wall
From the UCF Police Department.
group of ucf staff From the College of Health and Public Affairs.
From the College of Health and Public Affairs.
group of ucf staff From the College of Sciences in front of an abstract colorful statue
From the College of Sciences.
group of ucf staff From First Year Advising and Exploration. standing and kneeling
From First Year Advising and Exploration.
group of ucf staff From the Rosen College of Hospitality Management all facing to the left and kicking their left legs out
From the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
small group of ucf staff Fom UCF's Lead Scholar's Academy.
Fom UCF’s Lead Scholar’s Academy.
group of ucf staff From the School of Visual Arts and Design.
From the School of Visual Arts and Design.
group of ucf staff From Victim Services on steps
From Victim Services.