YWCA Central Virginia’s Denim Day is an international awareness campaign that supports survivors of sexual assault and raises awareness about victim blaming and sexual violence prevention. It takes place every year on the last Wednesday in April. In 2026, Denim Day is April 29th.

Why Denim?

The campaign began after a controversial legal case in Italy in the 1990s. In the 1992 Italian Supreme Court ruling, a rape conviction was overturned because the court argued that the victim must have helped remove her tight jeans, implying consent. This decision sparked outrage worldwide. The next day, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to protest the ruling and show solidarity with survivors.

In 1999, the nonprofit Peace Over Violence launched Denim Day in Los Angeles as a campaign to challenge the myths around sexual assault.

What the YWCA Central Virginia is doing on Denim Day

Organizations, schools, and communities participate in:

Wearing denim to show support for survivors
Hosting awareness events
Educating about consent and victim blaming
Fundraising for survivor services
Sharing social media messages and stories

The message is simple:
Clothing is never consent. Wear Denim and support sexual assault survivors.

Why It Matters

Denim Day helps:

Challenge harmful myths about sexual violence
Show visible support for survivors
Encourage conversations about consent and respect
Raise funds for organizations that support survivors

Denim Day is especially aligned with YWCA Central Virginia’s Sexual Assault Awareness Program (SARP).

We invite businesses and organizations to participate in YWCA Central Virginia’s Denim Day Campaign. Register your company to join the effort and help raise awareness for survivors of sexual assault. Once registered, you can promote the event using our social media toolkit and encourage employees to participate by donating $5 to wear denim on April 29.

Consider challenging your organization to raise more than other participating companies or increase your impact by offering a corporate match. After Denim Day, simply submit the total amount your organization raised to the YWCA Central Virginia.

All funds will directly support the YWCA Central Virginia Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP), which provides advocacy, resources, and support to survivors in our community.

Participating organizations will also receive a Denim Day Certificate of Participation from YWCA Central Virginia in recognition of their support and commitment to raising awareness for survivors.

Additional details and participation materials will be available soon.

Denim Day 2026 - YWCA Central Virginia

By YWCA Central Virginia

Denim Day 2026 - YWCA Central Virginia

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