The Women’s Center is partnering with Shoals Rape Response, a non-profit organization, to increase awareness of sexual violence during an event called Jeans 4 Justice.

Area-wide businesses and schools are asked to allow employees and students to wear jeans to work Tuesday, Feb. 25 for a $1 donation to Rape Response, according to a press release.

Jeans 4 Justice is an organization that arose from a court decision held in Italy. While a perpetrator of rape was found guilty, the Italian Supreme Court overturned it because the survivor was wearing jeans.

“The reasoning behind this case was that no man by himself could take the jeans off of a woman — she would have to help him,” said Coordinator for Women’s Studies Emily Kelley. “The court basically said this rape was consensual because the survivor was wearing jeans, which is a total lack of reasoning.”

Junior Genna Bradley said society and culture in the United States is so sexualized that people in this country do in fact live in a rape culture.

“The opinion of the Italian judge that led to this moment is not an isolated case of bigotry,” she said. “The phenomenon that is victim blaming and shaming is pervasive. People will keep saying that ‘she or he wanted it’ or that ‘she or he had it coming’ about rape and sexually assaulted victims until we put a stop to it.”

(Rape) is something that happens here in Lauderdale County, Outreach and Awareness Specialist of Rape Response Kaylie Watts said.

“It happens on college campuses more than we think,” she said.

Perpetrators should be punished to the fullest extent of the law, Bradley said.

“This problem will not diminish until it is made clear that it is not OK to rape a person no matter his or her sex, age, religion, race, or social-economic status,” she said.

Donations can be made to the Women’s Center and Rape Response throughout the week, Kelley said.

“We will have a table set up in the GUC Tuesday, Feb. 25 and will be handing out information regarding sexual violence,” she said.

Jeans 4 Justice raised approximately $150 last year during the event, Kelley said.

“It’s important to support the work of Rape Response,” she said. “They do amazing work throughout the community on a shoestring budget.”

For donation information contact Emily Horn Kelley in the Women’s Center at 256-765-4380.

All services of Rape Response are offered free of charge and are provided to victims of sexual assault 14 and older, regardless of sex, race, or religion. Services are available no matter when the sexual violence occurred. The crisis line is 256-767-1100. Callers outside the Shoals can call 800-917-7273 toll-free.