Resolution; recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and April 29, 2026 as Denim Day.

Resolution
ENROLLED SENATE
RESOLUTION NO. 42 By: Hicks

A Resolution recognizing April as Sexual Assault
Awareness Month and April 29, 2026, as Denim Day;
supporting Peace Over Violence and the YWCA; and
directing distribution.

WHEREAS, April is nationally recognized as Sexual Assault
Awareness Month and the Peace Over Violence organization has
declared April 29, 2026, as Denim Day; and

WHEREAS, the origin of Denim Day began in 1992 after the Italian
Supreme Court’s overturning of a sexual assault conviction. The
next day, women members of the Italian Parliament gathered on the
steps of the Supreme Court wearing denim to protest the fact that
the justices had agreed with the defense attorney’s argument that
the young woman’s jeans were proof of consent; and

WHEREAS, in 1999, the organization Peace Over Violence held its
first Denim Day to protest myths about why women and girls are
victims of sexual assault; and

WHEREAS, sexual harassment is part of a continuum of violence
whose damaging effects are felt throughout our culture. Harmful
attitudes about all forms of sexual violence allow these issues to
persist and allow victims and survivors to be revictimized; and

WHEREAS, every sixty seconds someone in the U.S. is sexually
assaulted, and the vast majority of victims are female. In
Oklahoma, the rate of rape and attempted rape among females reported
to law enforcement has been 35 to 45 percent higher than the U.S.
rate for the past decade. The actual numbers are believed to be

ENR. S. R. NO. 42 Page 2
higher due to the fact that many survivors do not report sexual
assault crimes due to fear and shame; and

WHEREAS, sexual violence and its unfair and traumatizing effects
are preventable with proper education and comprehensive prevention
projects; and

WHEREAS, members of the Oklahoma State Senate strongly support
the efforts of Peace Over Violence and the YWCA to educate persons
in our state about the true impact of sexual harassment, abuse,
assault, and rape.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE 2ND SESSION
OF THE 60TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE:

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate recognizes the month of April as
Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

THAT the Oklahoma State Senate designates April 29, 2026, as
Denim Day and urges everyone to wear jeans on this day to help
communicate the message that there is no excuse and there is never
an invitation to harass, abuse, assault, or rape.

THAT a copy of this resolution be distributed to the YWCA.

Adopted by the Senate the 29th day of April, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the Senate

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________