NUS Wears Denim
8 Aug 2022 | Events – Denim Day
Volunteers conducted engaging activities and distributed collaterals across NUS on Denim Day.
By: Siew Tung Dawn
It starts with you.
By choosing to click on NUS Care Unit’s article about Denim Day, you are already making a choice to find out more — so thank you!
Let me tell you about how it all began. Denim Day is internationally celebrated on the last Wednesday of April to commemorate Sexual Violence Awareness Month. The Denim Day movement originated from a court case in Italy where the authorities discredited a survivor’s report of sexual assault due to her wearing of tight denim jeans. Since then, wearing denim has become a symbol of support for survivors and advocacy against sexual violence.
Denim Day 2022 marks NUS Care Unit’s second consecutive year of running the education campaign on campus. This year’s motto “Join the movement. Be the change” reached out to almost 3000 students and staff! The redesigned badges and door hangers with resourceful information was a hit among the students on campus. This year, NUS Care Unit was joined by staff from NUS Health and Wellbeing, staff from Yale-NUS, and enthusiastic student volunteers, who were stationed across campus on Denim Day to raise awareness about sexual misconduct and the resources available to survivors.
Trivia games and conversations about consent were popular in our interactions with the NUS community. Most were highly positive and interested in knowing how to support peers who have or may have experienced sexual misconduct.
For some useful resources click here to find out more!
Indeed, recent high-profile cases in the media indicate that myths, misconceptions, and victim-blaming is still common in modern society. Let’s pause to consider: How often have we thought of or heard that our type of clothing might contribute to sexual assault? What about the role of alcohol and intoxication? From my own observation, these false beliefs show up not only in the general population, but also in survivors themselves too. Such beliefs can contribute to a cycle of violence – they can contribute to an environment where discrimination and harassment become common and increase barriers to seeking help and support in survivors.
What can we do to create a safer culture — both physically and emotionally?
Indeed, recent high-profile cases in the media indicate that myths, misconceptions, and victim-blaming is still common in modern society. Let’s pause to consider: How often have we thought of or heard that our type of clothing might contribute to sexual assault? What about the role of alcohol and intoxication? From my own observation, these false beliefs show up not only in the general population, but also in survivors themselves too. Such beliefs can contribute to a cycle of violence – they can contribute to an environment where discrimination and harassment become common and increase barriers to seeking help and support in survivors.
What can we do to create a safer culture — both physically and emotionally?
Simone came by to express her support for Denim Day.
Indeed, conversations — and the reflection and learning they prompt — can be a powerful catalyst. Through sincere dialogue and earnest self-examination, I fervently hope we as a society can take steps to improve public awareness which we so dearly need to fight sexual violence stigma. I hope this article is one such catalyst for you.
Genuinely listening to and believing survivors in a non-judgmental way is one simple action you can make. Before ending this article, I implore you to ask yourself: Can I be more respectful and kinder to someone today?
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual misconduct, please reach out to NCU for support by calling our helpline (+65 6601 4000) or emailing us at ncu_help@nus.edu.sg.
NUS Wears Denim
4 Aug 2021 | Events – Denim Day
By: Vanessa Ow Yan Lin
On 28th April 2021, NUS students and staff were spotted wearing jeans, denim, and a Denim Day badge distributed by the NUS Care Unit (NCU) as a sign of support for building a culture of respect and zero tolerance against sexual misconduct. Initiated by Peace Over Violence in honour of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Denim Day is an international campaign in April marking solidarity against all forms of gender prejudice, sexual misconception, and physical aggression.
At NUS, NCU led the university’s first ever campus-wide Denim Day campaign to champion support for survivors of sexual misconduct. The campaign aimed to increase awareness and commitment in our NUS community in building a safer campus for all. The event saw over 700 pledges from NUS students and staff in support of survivors of sexual misconduct in their healing journeys, to speak up against erroneous attitudes and beliefs, and to build a campus free from sexual misconduct. Among the pledgers were also key university leaders such as Prof. Leong Ching, Vice Provost (Student Life) and the Dean of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).
A Denim Day pledge-taker at one of the three physical booths set up by NCU across the campus to distribute Denim Day badges and Action Cards to NUS students and staff.
Triniti Ng Sok Ying, a Year 1 student from FASS, has made a pledge. She believes that the University is moving in the right direction starting with efforts to raise awareness about sexual misconduct and providing more dedicated support to survivors. She wears her Denim Day badge with a purpose and encourages everyone to participate in this movement.
Campus staff dressed in denim as a visible demonstration of support for building a culture of respect and zero tolerance against sexual misconduct in NUS.
NCU is Here to Support
Denim Day Action Card distributed to the NUS community, providing more information about Denim Day. It also outlines ways in which members of the community can participate and show their support for the campaign.
Dr. Tong Yew Kwan, Associate Director of NCU, met staff and students who were eager to support survivors of sexual misconduct while handing out Denim Day badges. He said, “There’s a positive vibe and energy on the ground that NUS can harness, a capacity for empathy. Through this exercise, we hope to reach out to every student and staff so that they are aware that NCU is here to support them and feel empowered to seek help from us in times of need.”
The NUS Care Unit (NCU) is a dedicated unit that provides support to all NUS students and staff who have been affected by sexual misconduct, including but not limited to sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, dating violence, and sexual assault. NCU offers a private and safe place for affected NUS community members to seek support (e.g., informational, emotional, relational, and practical) and to be heard independent of their faculty, department, or hostel. The team comprises of trained care professionals who have experience working with survivors of sexual misconduct. The NCU Care Officers strive to ensure that affected staff and students receive the help and support they need.
If you missed Denim Day and would like to find out more about how you can participate and pledge your commitment, click here to download the Denim Day Action Card.
If you or someone you know is affected by sexual misconduct, please reach out to NCU for support by calling our helpline (+65 6601 4000) or emailing us at ncu_help@nus.edu.sg.