For Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, the student lead organization Rallying Against Sexual Assault (RASA) is raising awareness through outreach events and tableing on campus. Most of the month’s events are in preparation for Denim Day, which is on Wednesday, April 30, this year.
The Denim Day campaign takes place on college campuses worldwide. The campaign began in response to a 1999 Italian court case where a rape conviction was overturned because the court deemed the victim’s jeans implied consent. Observing this date aligns with the organization’s goals because RASA’s mission is to educate and engage the community on bystander intervention, healthy relationships and support students impacted by traumatic events.
The organization has kicked off this mission by hosting tabling events on Wednesday, April 2 and April 9, in anticipation of their annual Take Back the Night event, which was held on Tuesday, April 15.
Take Back the Night is an international event focused on ending sexual violence and reclaiming public spaces where women feel unsafe. The event ran from 5-7:30 p.m. and consisted of UM students marching on campus to raise awareness and support survivors of sexual violence.
RASA hosted a Denim Day fashion show in collaboration with the Black Student Union and Black Fashion Society in honor of Sexual Assault Awarness Month on Thursday, April 10.
The fashion show started with an introduction and message of inspiration for the event from sophomore allied health major Julienne Alinsub, social media coordinator and graphic designer for RASA.
“We put on the show with Black Fashion Society and BSU to raise awareness of the issue of victim blaming. It is extremely important to show students that what you are wearing does not equal consent,” Alinsub, a Southaven, Miss., native, said.
The models included members of the three host organizations. The students were divided into categories of those wearing light wash, dark wash and distressed denim. The outfits were created by the models themselves, with some featuring paintings of phrases such as “me too” and “my body, my choice.”
Newly elected RASA president Lauren McKay, a sophomore nutrition major from Wiggins, Miss., spoke of the collaboration effort and importance of fostering partnerships between student organizations.
“Whenever there are partnerships between student organizations we have an opportunity for collaboration where we can share common ground and (empower) people,” McKay said.
On Wednesday April 16, there was a Fresh Check tabling at the Grove from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fresh Check Day is a campus initiative to promote mental health and suicide prevention.
Next week, RASA will hold a “What Were You Wearing?” display on Wednesday, April 23, at the Union Terrance from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The display will exhibit the clothing survivors were wearing when they were assaulted, fighting back against ideas that clothing equals consent.
On Thursday, April 24, RASA will hold another tabling event for Denim Day on the Union Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Alinsub said events like this address issues that are often overlooked and provide resources for students.
“I think (sexual assault) is something not talked about. We really keep it on the back burner. It is a very prevalent issue on campus (especially during) the Red Zone, which is the first four to six weeks of school where we typically see a spike in sexual assault cases,” Alinsub said. “We really want to get the message out there that you’re not alone. There are so many resources available to you, and there’s so many people that care about you. We really want people to know that we will stand by them.”
