Lookin' for something to wear today? Wear denim and add some teal to do something good and really make a statement.
The Women's Center of Tarrant County sold teal t-shirts as part of its Turn Tarrant Teal initiative supporting Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which is in April.
“Join us on April 28 when millions will wear jeans on Denim Day, along with a teal T-shirt to help us shine a light on sexual assault awareness," Laura Hilgart, The Women’s Center’s president and CEO, said in a news release. "As the community starts to open up, we are already starting to see an increase in people seeking services. Now more than ever, we need the community’s support."
The nonprofit was not able to host its annual Victory Over Violence Walk/Run fundraiser this year and opted to sell t-shirts.
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The news release says The Women’s Center hopes to raise awareness about startling statistics:
• Every 73 seconds, someone in America is sexually assaulted (RAINN.org).
• Nearly one in three Texans will experience sexual assault in their lifetime, with women being twice as likely to be victimized as men.
• One in four girls and one in six boys experience some form of sexual abuse before their 18th birthday.
• Eight out of 10 rapes are committed by someone known to the victim (RAINN.org).
Denim Day started in Los Angeles 22 years ago and is the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in the United States.
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"Denim Day recalls an Italian Supreme Court case that sparked international outrage when a judge overturned a lower court’s conviction of a rapist because the victim wore jeans," The website for the organizer says. "The judges ruled that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she must have helped her attacker remove them, thus implying consent."
Across the country and around the world, people everywhere are invited to make
a social statement with their fashion statement and wear their jeans with purpose today.
Though the Women's Center ended the shirt sales, people can still donate to the campaign here.
About The Women’s Center:
Established in 1979, The Women’s Center addresses significant problems of violence, crisis, and poverty experienced by women and families in Tarrant County. The founders of The Center created a place of transformation that has served hundreds of thousands of women, men, and children over the past 40 years. This has been made possible through the commitment of expert staff, generous donors, dedicated volunteers, a passionately involved board of directors, and community partnerships. The mission of The Women’s Center is to inspire and empower women, men, and children to overcome violence, crisis, and poverty. For more information about The Women’s Center, please visit https://www.womenscentertc.org, or call 817-927-4040.
