In Bloom Community Garden at Something Special
Montgomery County Women’s Center was proud to present, In Bloom- A Community Garden, a display to lend a voice to the 819 sexual assault survivors that we accompanied for forensic exams in 2022. We started the month with 819 teal flowers in our garden on display at Something Special in Shenandoah. Community members came by throughout the month to see this impactful display and join us in showing their support for survivors by purchasing a white flower to add to the garden. Through this campaign we raised over $4000. Thank you to everyone who participated.
Turn The Town Teal
This April we were proud to host our First Annual “Turn The Town Teal” campaign to promote sexual assault awareness. In 2023, we were focusing on the ripple effect. Whether you were walking or driving in Downtown Conroe, you probably saw teal ribbons lining the streets and in the front of buildings and stores. We hope they made people curious, supportive of the campaign and help us lend a voice to say “WE STAND WITH SURVIVORS IN OUR COMMUNITY”. Thank you to all of the Montgomery County businesses and organizations that participated!
Go Teal Day
Montgomery County Women’s Center was proud to partner with so many amazing businesses, organizations and individuals for GO TEAL DAY in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month!! April 4th across the country community organizations and individuals wear teal (or teal ribbons) to show their support of sexual assault survivors in their communities!
Denim Day
Denim Day was first celebrated in 1999 when an Italian court granted the appeal of a rapist and overturned his sentence. Sparking worldwide outrage and protests, Italian women showed up to work wearing denim jeans and other clothing articles. The Californian Senate and Assembly also supported their fellow human beings and, in a show of respect, American women stepped into the Parliament also sporting jeans. Patricia Giggans, who is an American feminist and the executive director of LA’s Commission on Assaults Against Women (now known as Peace Over Violence), was inspired by these events and named the last Wednesday of every April as Denim Day.
For the 18-year-old girl who was raped in 1992, it began as a normal day when she was picked up by her driving instructor. However, things soon took a turn for the worst when he raped her. Before she was dropped off at home, the rapist threatened to kill her if she told anyone. Later that day, she informed her parents of the incident and soon the rapist was arrested and prosecuted. Yet, a year later, he appealed his case and was granted freedom after the court agreed to his claim that the victim’s tight jeans couldn’t have been taken off without her help.
Sexual assault is traumatizing. It is difficult to discuss and, as a result of this, sexual assault perpetrators often walk away scot-free. Moreover, the survivors and victims are more often than not blamed for the incident. Such attitudes have also led to lax laws that do not help the survivors and the victims much. Denim Day, thus, aims to rid the world of such attitudes and laws to bring about real justice and support to the ones who deserve it.
