April 21, 2022
The comfortable attire of South Burnett councillors at this week’s Council meeting had nothing to do with their relaxed country ways … it was actually part of a worldwide campaign against sexual violence in the community.
The councillors and Council staff wore denim as a visible means of protesting against victim blaming.
For the past 23 years, an international organisation, Peace Over Violence, has run a campaign to expose harmful behaviours and attitudes surrounding sexual violence.
Denim Day is held on a Wednesday in April in honour of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
The international campaign began after a ruling by the Italian Supreme Court where a rape conviction was overturned because the judges felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she must have helped the person who raped her remove her jeans, thereby implying consent.
The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.
The local Denim Day was promoted by South Burnett Centacare.
Mayor Brett Otto said the South Burnett was not immune to sexual assault and that men, in particular, needed to step up and acknowledge that sexual assault was never acceptable.
” ‘No’ means ‘no’. There is no excuse for sexual violence,” the Mayor said.
