For the past 23 years, the nonprofit organization Peace Over Violence has been running a powerful campaign to practice solidarity and support survivors of sexual violence.

This year’s ‘Denim Day’ falls on Wednesday, April 27 during the last week of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court, where a rape conviction was overturned because the justices ruled that since the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped the perpetrator remove them, thereby implying consent.

The next day, women in the Italian Parliament arrived to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. As the longest running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history, Denim Day asks community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a statement by wearing jeans on this day as a visible protest against the harmful misconceptions that surround sexual violence.

In addition to Denim Day, Philadelphia has been honoring Sexual Assault Awareness Month throughout all of April, from wearing the color teal, to writing letters of support to survivors.

Spearheading the majority of these events is the city’s only rape crisis center, Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR.)

Lydia Henry, one of WOAR’s Board of Directors, told Audacy that the organization has partnered with leaders in the transportation, hotel, hospitality, entertainment, and restaurant industries and many associations that are focused on eliminating violence and harassment.

“[They all have] a common mission to make Philadelphia a safe place to work, to attend schools and universities of which we have many, raise families, welcome tourists and enjoy all that Philadelphia has to offer,” Henry said.

On April 20, WOAR hosted its annual Take Back the Night event to honor survivors through poetry, song and a candlelight vigil. 

On April 22, WOAR held a ‘For The Record’ benefit concert at World Cafe Live, which was produced by Drexel Flux, a student-run organization dedicated to hosting live shows around campus. The event focused on raising awareness around sexual violence prevention, creating a space to share resources, and it enabled students to easily contribute funds. 

On Friday, April 29, WOAR and its partner organizations will gather with community members at City Hall to join hands in a moment of silence to honor the many people who have experienced sexual assault, drawing attention to the work that still needs to be done. 

“In the last two years, our community has faced unprecedented challenges with families isolating at home to stay safe. Sadly, data shows that about 50% of sexual violence happens in homes,” Rachel Copen, co-executive director of WOAR told Audacy. 

Also on Wednesday, April 27, PA House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton and state Sen. Katie Muth renewed their fight to bring justice and resources to sexual assault survivors. 

Their legislation, which has bipartisan support, would establish a statewide rape kit tracking system to provide survivors with access to timely information and status updates regarding evidence in their cases, and who to contact for help. 

“I am honored to work with Leader McClinton on this legislation that would increase transparency and give victims of sexual assault, abuse, rape, and violence access to important information and real-time updates concerning their case through a tracking system database,” said Muth, who represents Montgomery, Berks Chester counties. 

Both legislators were joined by advocates from WOAR and Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR.)

“Thanks to Sen. Muth and Rep. McClinton’s leadership, the statewide tracking system legislation would allow victims and survivors to receive timely status updates associated with their case as well as helpful reminders about services, such as rape crisis services, and their rights as a crime victim in Pennsylvania,” said Donna Greco, PCAR’s Policy Director. 

The measure would also create an advisory committee with members from the State Police, Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, the Office of Attorney General, and other stakeholders to come up with the best practices for forming and maintaining the tracking system. 

More than 20 states have already passed similar bills, including Idaho, where their state police have developed a tracking system that is available at no cost to other states. 

McClinton’s legislation (H.B. 1848) and Muth’s companion bill (S.B. 860) are currently in the House and Senate Judiciary committees.