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Advocates mark Denim Day in Salt Lake City, urge belief for survivors and cite training, hotline funding
Summary
Advocates and officials in Salt Lake City marked Denim Day, called for trauma-informed responses and perpetrator accountability, promoted an evening Library Square event, and noted $100,000 in session funding for the state sexual-assault hotline and a $1,000 city grant for a local coalition.
Salt Lake City — Community advocates and elected officials gathered on Wednesday to mark Denim Day, emphasize support for survivors of sexual assault and urge broader use of trauma-informed responses by law enforcement.
Liliana, executive director of the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault, opened the event by describing Denim Day’s origin: a 1992 Italian court ruling that, by overturning a rape conviction on the basis of a victim's tight jeans, spurred a protest in which lawmakers and activists wore denim to reject victim-blaming. "It doesn't matter what you're wearing; there is never an invitation for sexual violence," she said.
Dr. Julie Valentine, a forensic nurse, researcher and advocate, framed the "Start by Believing" campaign as central to changing responses to disclosures. "When someone discloses sexual assault, how we respond matters deeply," Valentine said, arguing that belief and empathy can affect whether survivors seek help or report crimes. She asked attendees to "wear your denim" and join an information fair at Library Square from 6 to 8 p.m.
An elected official who spoke at the event said the current legislative session had "secured a hundred thousand dollars for the state sexual-assault hotline," and thanked Salt Lake City for a $1,000 grant supporting the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault. The same speaker said the city’s police chief is partnering with the coalition on outreach and training; another participant highlighted POST’s trauma-informed curriculum for officers and detectives.
Speakers cited prevalence statistics and said Utah’s ranking on measures of sexual violence had worsened. Liliana stated "1 in 3 women" and "1 in 6 men" in the state experience sexual violence and said Utah now ranks seventh nationally, up from ninth. Those figures and the ranking were presented by speakers at the event and were not independently verified by this report.
Speakers also discussed sexual-assault-kit processing. The elected official said that testing kits has produced CODIS hits, and argued that holding perpetrators accountable — not only offering education — is needed to reduce repeat offending. Officials described POST training updates intended to reduce interrogation-style responses and increase trauma-informed interviewing, while noting that departments can opt into the curriculum.
Organizers used the gathering to promote community supports: Liliana named the local crisis/recovery center in Salt Lake City, and pointed to a statewide sexual-assault helpline available in English and Spanish. Attendees were asked to take the Start by Believing online pledge and to participate in evening activities intended to show solidarity with survivors.
The brief program closed with thanks to city leaders and law-enforcement partners and an invitation for the public to attend the evening Library Square event.
