AGENDA ITEM NO. 10
CITY OF HAWTHORNE
City Council
AGENDA BILL
For the meeting of April 9, 2024
Originating Department: City Attorney
City Manager: __________
Vontray Norris
City Attorney: ___________
Robert Kim
SUBJECT:
RESOLUTION NO. 8457
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF HAWTHORNE, CALIFORNIA, PROCLAIMING APRIL 2024 AS “SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH” AND WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024 AS “DENIM DAY” IN HAWTHORNE
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Staff Recommends that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 8457 DISCUSSION:
April 2024 marks the 23rd anniversary of “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and the 25th anniversary of “Denim Day”. Both events are intended to draw attention to the fact that rape and sexual assault remain a serious issue in our society. Harmful attitudes about rape and sexual assault allow these crimes to persist and allow victim/survivors to be re-victimized. “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” and “Denim Day” were also instituted to call attention to misconceptions and misinformation about rape and sexual assault, and the problem that many in society remain disturbingly uninformed with respect to issues of assault and forcible rape.
Denim day was started in reaction to a ruling by an Italian Court in 1992. The case was an appeal of a conviction of a 45 year old driving instructor for the rape of an 18-year old girl when he took her on her very first driving lesson. He took her to an isolated road, pulled her out of the car, removed her jeans and forcefully raped her.
Years later, he appealed the conviction claiming that they had consensual sex. The Italian Supreme Court overturned the conviction and stated that because the victim was wearing very tight jeans, she had to help him remove the jeans, and by removing the jeans it was not rape but consensual sex. This became known throughout Italy as the “jeans alibi.”
Enraged by the verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament launched a protest wearing jeans on the steps of the Supreme Court. This protest was picked up by international media which inspired the California Senate and Assembly to do the same on the steps of the Capitol in Sacramento.
This protest spread and Denim Day was born. The first Denim Day in LA was held in April of 1999, and has continued annually since.
Over 53% of women and over 29% of men reported experiencing sexual violence with most women and men across all sexual identities who experienced sexual violence reporting that the person who harmed them was someone they knew. More than 1 and 4 non-Hispanic Black women (29%) in the United States were raped in their lifetime and 1 in 3 Hispanic women (34.8%) reported unwanted sexual contact in their lifetime. This number increases dramatically when looking at American Indian and Native Alaskan women where more than 4 in 5 (84.3%) have experienced violence in their lifetime. Finally, 47% of all transgender people have been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives.
With proper education regarding rape and sexual assault, there is compelling evidence that incidents of this alarming and psychologically damaging crime can be successfully reduced. The members of the Hawthorne City Council strongly supports efforts to educate persons in our community about the true impact of rape and sexual assault in Southern California. Resolution No. 8457 proclaims the month of April as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month,” and designates Wednesday, April 24, 2024 as “Denim Day,” urging everyone to wear jeans on April 24, 2024 to help communicate the message that there is “no excuse and never an invitation to rape.” FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
NOTICING PROCEDURES:
72 hours posted notice pursuant to the Ralph M. Brown Act ATTACHMENT(S):
1. Resolution No. 8457