In solidarity with sex assault victims on Denim Day
BOSTON — In a show of solidarity for survivors of sexual assault, Massachusetts legislators donned their dressiest denim to celebrate International Denim Day, an occasion that originated in Italy 25 years ago as a response to the overturning of a rape conviction based on what the victim was wearing.
“This is not casual Friday, not a day off,” said Rep. Trisha Farley-Bouvier, DPittsfield, co-chair of the Women's Caucus Sexual Violence Committee with Rep. Natalie Higgins, D-Leominster. The denim, Farley-Bouvier said, is a show of solidarity for all those people touched by sexual violence.
“There is no reason, ever, for sexual assault,” said Farley-Bouvier, regardless of what someone is wearing or not wearing.
While the event started out with the legislators posing for pictures on the Grand Staircase of the State House in their denim finery, the lighthearted mood soon dissipated when Sue started speaking. An immigrant and survival of marital rape, Sue had agreed to tell her story about her subjugation and her eventual escape from her husband's control.
An immigrant from Sri Lanka, Sue spoke quietly, her voice breaking at times.
She credited Saheli, a Woburn-based organization, with her liberation. Saheli supports survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence and is focused on helping those with roots in South Asia, the Middle East and certain African nations. It offers legal, economic and mental health supports that is in a common language and culturally sensitive.
“We speak 14 languages and understand the cultural norms and traditions survivors come from and can overcome language and other barriers,” said Deepali Gulati, the organizations director of outreach and prevention.
In concluding her story, Sue counseled other women, including immigrant women, not to suffer in silence but to seek help, tell their stories and break down the wall of silence.
With her advocacy work, Higgins is trying to do exactly that.
Trained as a rape crisis counselor, Higgins worked with a Worcester County-based
organization, spending many hours in hospital waiting rooms with survivors as they waited for medical attention, waited for samples to be collected for rape kits.
Higgins says she herself was assaulted at 22 while at college and was counseled to chalk up the experience to a “bad night” and told that everyone had those.
Even though Higgins knew that what had happened wasn't right, she prevaricated, wondering whether she had somehow provoked the attack.
“I was trained,” Higgins said, “and it still took me 12 hours to admit it.”
“Massachusetts is dedicated to supporting survivors and preventing sexual violence,” said Gov. Maura T. Healey, also wearing denim in solidarity. She mentioned a program, respectfully, aimed at teaching Massachusetts youth about healthy relationships.
“Clothing has no bearing on consent,“Healey said.
Denim Day originated in 1999 in Italy, a reaction to the overturning of a rape conviction in the Italian courts. The judge ruled the jeans the victim was wearing were so tight, she had to have helped her assailant remove them, thus the sex was consensual.
Outrage ensued, with women in the Italian Parliament attending the next day's session wearing jeans in solidarity.
Survivors' stories go a long way toward stopping the cycle of sexual violence, Healey said.
One step in the right direction, Higgins said, is to believe the victims when they report the crimes.
“It's hard to step up,” Higgins said, especially if someone is unsure whether they will be believed, whether they will be blamed for provoking the assault. “Without consent, it's sexual assault."
Lawmakers at the Wednesday event hope funding that supports the survivors' networks and those working to eradicate sexual violence will be at least level-funded in the budget for the next fiscal year.
Currently, Higgins is focused on ensuring the state fills the $20 million funding gap left by a decrease in federal money allocated through the Victims of Crimes Act. The funding is issued to and administered through the Massachusetts Office of Victims Assistance, which allocates money to groups like Saheli.