Each April, the city of West Hollywood recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. This year, the city will host a community outreach event to encourage people to be more aware of sexual assault and to promote a message of consent with its “Only Yes Means Yes” public awareness campaign.

The “Only Yes Means Yes” outreach team invites community members to meet at the northwest corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Palm Avenue on Sunday, April 15, at 2 p.m. Participants will include members of the West Hollywood City Council; the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s West Hollywood Station; Block by Block security ambassadors; and members of the city of West Hollywood’s Women’s Advisory Board and Public Safety Commission. Participants will pass out campaign materials at that location and at targeted locations in the vicinity.

City staff and local sheriff’s representatives will also participate in International Denim Day on Wednesday, April 25, by wearing jeans to work. Communities around the world recognize Denim Day by wearing jeans as a way to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault. Denim Day was founded following a 1999 court ruling in Italy in which a rape conviction case was overturned with the argument that, because the victim had been wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, she must have been expressing consent.

The city’s Denim Day recognition is organized each year by its Public Safety Department to unite against sexual assault; to break the silence about sexual violence; and to stand up in support of survivors.

This year, the city of West Hollywood will also conduct a “Denim Drive for Denim Day.” Community members are encouraged to donate gently used denim jeans to the Los Angeles LGBT Youth Center. Collection bins are located in the lobby area of West Hollywood City Hall, located at 8300 Santa Monica Blvd.

For information, call the Public Safety Department at (323)848-6414.