The Whitecourt Family Violence Initiative encourages community members to wear denim on April 29, World Denim Day, to help raise awareness about sexual violence and show their support to survivors.
In 1998, the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing tight jeans. The court claimed she must have assisted her attacker in removing them, which it argued implied consent.
Denim Day was established in response to this decision in an effort to fight against victim blaming.
The Whitecourt Family Violence Initiative invites agencies, local businesses, schools and residents to participate and show their solidarity with survivors. The initiative encourages participants to share photos in their denim and tag the organization.
