Bronx 'Denim Day' march highlights need for rape crisis center

THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) -- Dozens of Bronx leaders, advocates, and residents donned denim and took to the steps of Borough Hall Wednesday for The Bronx Denim Day march, raising awareness for sexual assault.

The concept of "Denim Day" stems from an overturned rape conviction in Italy, where justices reasoned that the victim’s tight jeans required her help to remove, thereby implying consent.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark was among the day’s speakers, advocating for a hospital-based, state-accredited rape crisis center. The borough does not currently have one, but accounts for roughly 25% of all rape cases in the city so far in 2024, according to NYPD statistics.

“We have to be there for them [survivors] months and years following the attack, and that’s what rape crisis centers do,” said Clark.

Clark spoke with PIX11 News last week after she sent a letter to New York City Health + Hospitals, highlighting the need for a rape crisis center. Her cause is now gaining traction.

“This wasn’t on my radar until, actually, I saw the report,” said Bronx Council Member Althea Stevens.

Stevens said it was only after watching PIX11’s story that she learned her borough did not have one.

“This is something that I will definitely bring back to the Bronx delegation to see how do we support this, what does this look like,” said Stevens.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, whose office hosted the Denim Day march, supports Clark’s efforts and is ready to bring leaders to the table to determine the next steps.

“Identifying a location and coming up with an estimate of what it would cost to build out an actual center, visiting others in Manhattan and Brooklyn and Queens and seeing what the existing facilities look like and then modeling it off of what we need in the Bronx,” said Gibson.

The Bronx currently has one rape crisis center that is located at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. There are roughly 150 people on the waitlist for therapy relating to sexual abuse and domestic violence.

“We’re technically not really turning anybody away, but we do have to do a lot of external referrals,” said Yadirys Batista, Community Coordinator at the Kingsbridge Heights Community Center. “The need is very high, and we’re not able to support everybody.”

If you or someone you know needs help, the National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24 hours a day: 1-800-656-4673