Wearing jeans: a pivotal statement on gendered violence

International Denim Day, in its 25^th year, comes as this city continues to grapple with prominent deaths of three women - Rebecca Young, Samantha Murphy and Hannah McGuire - which police have alleged were all at the hands of male perpetrators.

Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault operations director Katrina Bevelander said people often found it hard to know how to show or actively channel their support in such times. Ms Bevelander said wearing denim in April was a way to spark conversations.

"Sexual violence can happen on a continuum from calling out inappropriate jokes through to violent rapes. Most women have had some experience with sexual assault," Ms Bevelander said. "Research evidence on sexual violence just illustrates this is the tip of the iceberg.

"Day in and day out we are supporting women to feel seen and heard but they don't always receive that support in the wider community."

Denim Day started in 1999 after an Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction early in the 1990s when the court found that because the victim was wearing tight jeans, she had to help the perpetrator remove them and by removing them, it was consensual sex and not rape.

Wearing jeans has become a protest to debunk myths and misconceptions about the rape of women and girls.

This issues has again been put in the spotlight with ABC's Australian Story on April 22 featuring Anna Coutts-Trotter, daughter of federal minister Tanya Plibersek, and the violence she experienced in a teenage relationship.

Ms Coutts-Trotter, now aged 23, co-founded The Survivor Hub for survivors of sexual assault to support each other and change conversations on gendered violence.

Ms Bevelander said it was often still a lot easier for people to lay blame at the victim than consider this could happen to any of us.

She said Ballarat had extra layers to this city's experience with a history of institutional child sexual abuse, predominantly by members of the clergy, and the ripple effects of this continued.

"We're hearing from a lot of the community the need to call out behaviour but it's not quite enough," Ms Bevelander said.

"It does begin early with children and teenagers when some levels of disrespect happen but it's also important to strengthen relationships so that information lands with people."

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CASA works closely with national survivor groups, which often lack resources.

On a grassroots front, Ms Bevelander said CASA was collaborating as much as it could with Grampians Health and other community groups to best support each other in working with those who needed their help and in ongoing work to eliminate sexual and gendered violence.

Ms Bevelander said part of this was breaking down extra barriers for supports to First Nations women, women with disabilities, members of the LGBTIQA+ community and women from culturally diverse backgrounds.

"Knowing safe and trusted relationships with loved ones is really important for women, to know they have someone to talk to and know where it is safe to go," Ms Bevelander said.

In a field in which so much of their work can be reactive, Ms Bevelander said proactive work and conversations were vital and everyone in the community had a role to play in tackling gendered violence.

Ballarat CASA was supported by colleagues across Grampians Health in wearing jeans as a statement for Denim Day on April 24. This was supported by Denim Culture in the Bridge Mall and Stockland Wendouree.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis support, phone Lifeline 13 11 14. Help is also available, but not limited, via the following organisations. The key message is you are not alone.