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April is "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" and for the sixth year the Los Angeles Commission on Assaults Against Women (LACAAW) appealed to residents throughout the county to wear jeans on April 21 as a symbolic way
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (pictured in the center) wears jeans, along with her Washington, D.C.-based staff, on Denim Day. | of raising awareness about the plight of women who are victims of domestic violence and sexual assaults. Dubbed "Denim Day," the event promotes the theme: "It's not what we wear. There's no excuse and never an invitation to rape."
This year, I'm pleased to report that "Denim Day" was a huge success. More than 117,000 participants from throughout Los Angeles County wore jeans on April 21 and took part in a wide-range of activities designed to raise awareness about violence against women. My staff and I joined the effort by wearing our jeans on Denim Day and by continuing to work in Congress with organizations such as LACAAW, to increase awareness about these devastating crimes. LACAAW's mission includes countering common misconceptions about sexual assault, such as the notion that a woman cannot be raped if she's wearing jeans because she must help the attacker remove them, or that most rapes occur in a dark alley by a stranger. U.S. Justice Department statistics show, for example, that in three out of four cases of rape and sexual assault, the victims knew their attacker.
But as LACAAW also points out, educating the public about domestic violence and sexual assault is only part of the solution to solving this complex societal problem. A multi-faceted effort is needed to make clear that domestic violence is not a "private" matter. Employers, local law enforcement, the judicial system, educators, religious leaders, neighbors and the entire community must play a role in ending domestic violence.
Since entering Congress more than 10 years ago, I've worked to reinforce a community approach to addressing these crimes.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard's staff in Los Angeles wears jeans to work on Denim Day. | In 1994, I supported passage of the "Violence Against Women Act" (VAWA), which provides funding to help law enforcement prevent and prosecute perpetrators of domestic violence. The measure also funds domestic violence shelters for women and children, trains victim advocates and counselors and promotes rape prevention and education. Next year, when VAWA comes up for reauthorization in Congress, I will work to ensure the measure's passage and I ask that you assist me in this effort by contacting the leadership of both chambers in Congress to ask for their support for the continued funding of these needed programs.
Employers also play a vital role in helping women get out of abusive relationships. That's because one of the main reasons victims of violence stay or return to their abuser is a lack of financial support. To help victims of domestic violence retain their employment and financial independence, I authored "The Security and Financial Empowerment Act" (SAFE Act). Under the SAFE Act, victims of domestic violence would be allowed 30 days of unpaid leave from work to make necessary court appearances, contact law enforcement officials or make alternative housing arrangements, without the fear of being fired or demoted. The SAFE Act would also require all states to provide unemployment benefits to women who are fired or forced to leave work because of domestic violence. To date, more than 30 states, including California, have already enacted similar provisions, but a uniform national policy is needed. The SAFE Act would also provide employers with a workplace safety program tax credit as an incentive to provide domestic violence safety and education programs to their employees.
By working together in Congress, in our communities and in our own homes, we will change negative attitudes and behaviors that create an environment conducive to sexual violence and replace it with an environment of prevention and assistance that enables victims to become strong and healthy survivors. As "Sexual Assault Awareness Month" highlights, domestic violence and sexual assaults against women are unacceptable and preventable. Events such as Denim Day remind us of that, and also send an important message to the families in this terrible situation that, as a community, we care.
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