SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, April 23, 2025 (Gephardt Daily) — Liliana Olvera-Arbon stood before the media gathered at the Salt Lake City Police Station Wednesday wearing a tweed jacket, a T-shirt and blue denim jeans.
The jeans were chosen in honor of Denim Day. Olvera-Arbon, executive director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, shared the significance with community leaders and members who had gathered.
“Today, we are here recognizing an important day, Denim Day. And so what Denim Day is is an opportunity to raise awareness around the issue of sexual violence in our state, and I want to just share a little bit about what Denim Day is and the history behind it.”
The annual remembrance day was sparked after a violent attack in 1992 against a young woman in Italy, who was taking her first driving lesson.
“An 18-year-old girl was raped by her driving instructor, and that case was then overturned by the Italian Supreme Court because the judge felt that this 18-year-old girl’s jeans were too tight, in simulating consent.”
The lower court judge believed that the victim’s choice of clothing gave implied consent for the assault.
“Now, the Italian Parliament decided that they would stand in protest and advocate for that survivor,” Olvera-Arbon explained.
Parliament members “wore jeans to the Italian Supreme Court in solidarity for that survivor that it doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, there is never an invitation for rape, no matter how tight those jeans were. So Denim Day has grown into an international recognition of the need for us to invest in education.”
Denim Day, held on the last Wednesday in April, offers an opportunity to educate people about sexual assault and the harm caused by victim blaming.
“Denim Day has grown into an international recognition of the need for us to invest in education and prevent violence from happening in the first place,” Olvera-Arbon said. “So since then, we continue to raise awareness, and we continue to see those very myths that continue to impact survivors.
“Even in Salt Lake, even in Utah, one in three women will experience sexual violence in our state. One in six men will experience some form of sexual violence in our state. And now we rank seventh in the nation. We used to rank ninth.”
Dr. Julie Valentine, a forensic nurse, researcher and advocate, also spoke.
“I want to talk about two vital initiatives, Start by Believing and Denim Day, both of which challenge the culture of doubt, shame and silence that too often surrounds sexual assault. ‘Start by Believing’ — it is more than a campaign,” she said. “It’s a commitment to respond with compassion and belief, not skepticism; to affirm, not interrogate.
“When someone discloses sexual assault, how we respond matters deeply. The first words we say can shape whether a survivor seeks help, reports the crime, or stays silent and suffers when they feel shame, or if they’re able to begin to heal. We can direct their response by how we respond.
“Denim Day reminds us that what someone wears or does or acts is never an invitation for violence,” Valentine said.
“Denim Day calls out the dangerous myths that fuel victim blaming, and instead centers the responsibility squarely where it belongs, with those who choose to harm.”
“As a forensic nurse and researcher, I have seen the lasting impact of disbelief and judgment and the powerful difference made by one person who listens with empathy and believes with intention. Whether you’re a friend, a provider, co-worker, a teacher or a community leader, you can be that difference.”
Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd said he wanted to thank “all who are working on this issue in our state.
“We encourage those of you who have been victims of this crime to report, to come forward, and that’s the way we’re going to reduce the victimization that occurs in our community.”
Rep. Angela Romero (D, Dist. 25, minority leader) thanked the city for a $1,000 grant, and the Utah Legislature for $100,000 to help fund the state’s sexual assault hotline, “but we need a little bit more, because that’s a 24-hour hotline.
“And so this is our call to action to the community, but more importantly, this is a call to survivors, that you can report — you will be believed. We want survivors to know that you’re believed, and you’re supported by your elected officials. You’re supported by law enforcement; you’re supported by the community.”
Romero urged people to attend an information fair starting at 6 p.m. today on the Salt Lake Library Plaza. She urged listeners to let their elected leaders know that sexual assault education and survivor support programs are priorities in the community.
