The city of West Hollywood employees and representatives from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s West Hollywood Station hosted a Denim Day celebration on Wednesday at city hall to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault.

(photo by Brett White)

West Hollywood’s Denim Day participants wore denim jeans to express solidarity with an international day of awareness about sexual violence. Denim Day was founded following a court ruling in Italy in 1999 in which a rape conviction case was overturned after the argument that, because the victim had been wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, she must have been expressing consent.

In the city of West Hollywood, Denim Day is organized each year by the Public Safety Department in the spirit of uniting against sexual assault, to break the silence about sexual violence and to stand up in support of survivors.

If you or someone you care about has been a victim of sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking, there are resources to help. Contact the Los Angeles County Rape and Battering hotline 24 hours day at (310)392-8381.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center offers domestic violence or partner abuse counseling services geared toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities at (323)993-7649.

The Women Helping Women Services program of the National Council of Jewish Women provides counseling and support to individuals and families at (323)651-2930.

For more information about Denim Day, call Bonnie Smith at (323)848-6371.