A denim day to remember.
Hundreds set off from Brooklyn Borough Hall Wednesday morning decked out in denim to raise awareness of sexual misconduct and rape.
A national day of action, the term denim day is a part of sexual assault awareness day and is named after an Italian rape victim was blamed for the abuse due to the jeans she was wearing. Since then, the day has become a widespread call to raise awareness of sexual misconduct and to fight against victim-blaming.
The rally began inside Brooklyn Borough Hall where sexual assault survivors shared stories in hopes of fortifying and inspiring one another.
Angelina Rosado the founder of Returning Hope, a non-profit organization, spoke to a hall brimming with young people and admitted it was her first time reliving her ordeal of undergoing childhood sexual abuse publicly.
“Today we march for every victim like me, for every victim like you. For every step we take, we take our power back and I want to thank each and every one of you for coming out and standing with us. I have a message for survivors who are scared to speak up: you are not alone, and we believe you,” Rosado said through streaming tears.
Following the speeches, hundreds of denim-clad activists brandished signs and marched. Trekking out of the borough and over the Brooklyn Bridge they chanted “My body my choice!” and “No means no!” until they merged with even more advocates in Manhattan’s Foley Square.
Hundreds more joined the rally with large banners and artwork made in an attempt to aid the healing process. Several more speakers championed both survivors and those who fight for their rights.
“This is so amazing, this movement gets bigger and bigger every single year,” Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said. “The survivors who are here today, we are with you, we support you.”
