HJR22-1024 Summary

• Recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and designates April 27, 2022, as Colorado Denim Day, a statewide event aligned with Denim Day observances worldwide

• Acknowledges that Sexual Assault Awareness Month originated 21 years ago, with roots in the 1971 founding of the first rape crisis center in San Francisco and the 1978 first U.S. Take Back the Night event

• Notes that Denim Day originated from a 1998 Italian Supreme Court ruling that overturned a rape conviction based on victim's clothing, and was developed as a protest campaign by Peace Over Violence in Los Angeles in 1999

• Documents that every 68 seconds an American is sexually assaulted, with disproportionate rates among Black women (35%), Native women (twice the rate of other populations), and LGBTQ+ community members compared to other groups

• Recognizes and commends the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA), Peace Over Violence, and other organizations working to support survivors and end sexual violence in Colorado communities