CITY HALL EMPLOYEES TO TAKE PART IN ANNUAL DENIM DAY WEDNESDAY TO SUPPORT VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT WHO: Mayor

Mike Spano; City Council President Chuck Lesnick; City C ouncil members; Rebecca DiSimone, manager, Sexual Assault Services Program - Vic tims Assistance Services; Karen Carroll R.N., forensic intake coordinator at the Childrens Advocacy Center in Valhalla and member of the Bronx Sexual Assault Res ponse Team; and employees of the City of Yonkers. WHEN: r, WHY: The ith the involvement of ors of sexual assault. are encouraged to wear Yonkers, New York 10701. City of Yonkers is recognizing Denim Day 2012 this year w Westchester Countys Victims Assistance Services and surviv City officials and staff working for the City of Yonkers denim jeans to symbolize the day. Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Mayors Reception Room, Yonkers City Hall, 40 S. Broadway, 2nd floo

Internationally, Denim Day is a recognized campaign during Sexual Assault Awaren ess Month in April. It was created to raise public awareness about rape and sexu al assault. It began as the result of a Supreme Court case in Italy, in 1998, wh ere the high court decided to overturn a rape case conviction where the judge de clared the victim was partly to blame for wearing tight jeans. Facts about sexual assault: Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulte d. One in six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. 82.8% of rapes committed by an intimate are not reported to the police. 35% of college men who voluntarily participated in psychological research conduc ted at several universities indicated they might commit a rape if they knew they could get away with it. Two million children around the world are forced into prostitution every year. Law enforcement arrests for internet sex crimes against minors are on the rise. 15,000 to 19,000 people with developmental disabilities are raped each year in N orth America. Survivors deserve support and assistance, not shame and blame. Every year since 1999, the group Peace over Violence has organized national events to mark Denim Day. The rape prevention education campaign, asks community membe rs, elected officials, businesses and students to make both a social and fashion statement by wearing jeans as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault. More information can be found at http://denimdayu sa.org/