The following material describes topics of sexual assault. 

“Wear denim. Wear a ribbon.” 

This is the slogan for Oregon State University’s Center for Advocacy, Prevention and Education to promote their Denim Day Activity Fair. The fair will take place on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Memorial Union Brick Mall. 

CAPE’s activity fair plans to host tables and activities related to consent, or general sexual assault awareness and action. This is the final part in their series of events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This event is free to visit and open to the public. 

Denim Day, observed at the end of April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, began in protest to a 1992 Italian court case where an 18-year-old woman was sexually assaulted by her driving instructor. The guilty conviction of the driving instructor was overturned after the court ruled the victim’s tight jeans implied consent, a decision now known as “the jeans alibi.” 

On April 30, some wear denim to protest the “jeans alibi” and the Italian court’s ruling and also to raise awareness on the reality of sexual assault. 

For more information on Denim Day and CAPE’s events, visit their promotional Instagram page, @cape_osu.