YWCA Central Virginia | Denim Day 2026

Dear Community Partner,

Why are we asking?

We are excited to invite your organization to participate in YWCA Central Virginia’s Denim Day, taking place on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.

Why?

Denim Day is an international awareness campaign that originated from a controversial legal case in Italy in 1992. In this case, a rape conviction was overturned by the Italian Supreme Court, which ruled that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped remove them, implying consent. This reasoning placed blame on the victim rather than the perpetrator and sparked global outrage.

The following day, women in the Italian Parliament wore jeans in protest, standing in solidarity with survivors and challenging the harmful belief that clothing can ever imply consent.

In 1999, the nonprofit Peace Over Violence launched Denim Day in Los Angeles to challenge harmful myths surrounding sexual assault. Today, YWCA Central Virginia proudly continues this movement to raise awareness and support survivors in our community.

How can you participate?

· Donate $5 to support YWCA Central Virginia’s Sexual Assault Response Program (SARP), which provides advocacy, resources, and support to survivors

· Wear denim on April 29 to show support and solidarity

· Share the campaign with your network to help spread awareness

· Use our social media kit to amplify your impact:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Lbl_QirTqCNTUymPsKAP_5ote7APTk1B?usp=drive_link

How to Participate

Whether you want to simply donate, share the campaign, or start a team, here are your options:

Option 1: Quick Participation (Donate & Wear Denim)

The simplest way to participate:

Contribute $5 (or more if you would like)
Wear denim on April 29

That’s it! You are officially part of Denim Day.

Option 2: Donate + Share with Friends

Want to make a bigger impact?

Click Donate and complete your contribution
After donating, share the campaign link with:
- Friends and family
- Social media networks
- Colleagues

Tip: Use the social media toolkit to make sharing easy and impactful.

Option 3: Become a Fundraiser (Individual Page)

If you would like to actively raise funds:

Visit the campaign page
Click Fundraise
Create or sign in to your Givebutter account
Select Fundraise as an Individual
Set a personal fundraising goal
Add a short message about why this cause matters to you

You will receive a personal fundraising link to share with your network.

Option 4: Create Your Own Team

Interested in rallying a group (friends, workplace, community group)?

Visit the campaign page
Click Fundraise
Create or sign in to your Givebutter account
Select Create a Team
Add a team name and (optional) goal
Share your team link and invite others to join

Thank you for standing with survivors.

Together, we can make a meaningful difference.

Warm regards,
YWCA Central Virginia

Denim Day 2026 - YWCA Central Virginia

Team Leaderboard

Team Members