19 TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – According to denimdayinfo.org, in 1992, an 18-year-old Italian girl was waiting to be picked up by her driving instructor. This instructor ended up raping her and then threatened to kill her if she told anyone. After telling her parents, the rapist was arrested and prosecuted. He was found guilty by trial.
However, years later, he appealed his case with the Italian Supreme Court and was set free. His claim was that the victim’s jeans were so tight that they couldn’t have been taken off without her help, making it consensual.
“[This] is a direct example of how sexual assault victims are not believed and often blamed for the assault due to their behavior or manner of dress,” said Christine McGill, Tyndall Air Force Base Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.