A Proclamation of the City Council of the
City of Commerce
Designating the Month of April 2022 as “Sexual Assault Awareness” Month and Designating April 27, 2022 as “Denim Day” WHEREAS, the United States Government has declared April 2022 as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and Peace Over Violence has declared April 27, 2022 as “Denim Day” in Los Angeles County; and WHEREAS, both events are intended to draw attention to the fact that rape and sexual assault remains a serious issue in our society; and WHEREAS, International Denim Day has been observed since April 1999 as part of and international protest of an Italian Supreme Court decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim was wearing jeans. Every year since, community members, elected officials, businesses and students have organized to make a social statement with their fashion statement and wear jeans as a visible means of protest against myths that surround sexual assault and honor the survivors who have experienced victim blaming; and WHEREAS, Approximately one in five women and one in seventy-one men are raped during their lifetime, and nearly one in two women and one in five men have experienced other forms of sexual violence; and WHEREAS, Approximately one in four girls and one in six boys have had an unwanted or abusive sexual experience in childhood; and WHEREAS, the members of the City of Commerce City Council strongly support the efforts of Peace Over Violence to educate persons in our community about the true impact of rape and sexual assault.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Commerce does hereby proclaim the month of April 2022 as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month”, designates April 27, 2022 as “Denim Day”, and urges everyone to wear jeans on April 27, 2022 to help communicate the message that there is “no excuse and never an invitation to rape.” PASSED AND ADOPTED this 12th day of April 2022.
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Mayor
ATTEST:
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Lena Shumway
City Clerk