[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6605]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 REMARKS RECOGNIZING THE YWCA OF BERGEN COUNTY RAPE CRISIS CENTER AND 
                      THEIR ADVOCACY OF DENIM DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 28, 2010

  Mr. ROTHMAN of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
the New Jersey Legislature's declaration of April 28th as Denim Day and 
to thank advocates across the state for their tireless efforts to 
promote sexual assault awareness and provide assistance to victims of 
sexual assault. Recently, New Jersey became the newest state to adopt 
Denim Day as an annual event to raise awareness for acts of sexual 
assault. The establishment of Denim Day across the state of New Jersey 
is an important call to action reminding us that we must do everything 
possible as a community and as a nation of laws to stop rape and sexual 
assault and help survivors.
  Denim Day originated in 1998, when a decision to overturn a case of 
sexual assault by the Italian Supreme Court caused outrage among 
Italian legislators and the public. A statement released by the Head 
Judge of the Court stated, ``Because the victim wore very, very tight 
jeans, she had to help him remove them . . . and by removing the jeans 
. . . it was no longer assault but consensual sex.'' The women in the 
Italian Parliament protested by wearing jeans on the steps of the 
Parliament building and the protests that followed eventually spread to 
the United States.
  The movement that originated in Italy reached New Jersey in 2008 and 
2009 when several county-based Sexual Violence Programs in New Jersey 
launched Denim Day. I am proud to say that the YWCA of Bergen County 
Rape Crisis Center, located in my district, has been a champion of this 
cause. Today, they will be hosting the third annual ``Denim Day in NJ'' 
in Bergen County. This is also the first year that Denim Day will be 
observed officially throughout the state of New Jersey thanks to a New 
Jersey State Legislature resolution designating April 28 of each year 
as Denim Day to promote rape awareness throughout the state.
  I commend the ongoing efforts of the YWCA of Bergen County Rape 
Crisis Center to provide free and confidential assistance, counseling, 
and medical and legal services to survivors of sexual assault. I stand 
united with the YWCA, survivors of sexual assault, and their loved ones 
in observing this important day.

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