ALBANY, NY (Erie News Now)--NEARLY ONE HUNDRED PAIRS OF JEANS STRUNG UP ON A CLOTHESLINE IN THE EMPIRE STATE PLAZA IN ALBANY REPRESENT THIS YEARS international DENIM DAY-- THE LONGEST SEXUAL VIOLENCE PREVENTION CAMPAIGN IN HISTORY.  

“It really truly is a visual representation of the voices of survivors,” said Kelli Owens, executive director for the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.

OWENS HIGHLIGHTS THE 84 PAIRS OF JEANS ON DISPLAY ARE JUST A PORTION OF SURVIVORS REPRESENTED.  

OVER HALF OF WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE INVOLVING PHYSICAL CONTACT DURING THEIR LIFETIME, ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CControl and Prevention.  

BUT SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISN’T ALWAYS PHYSICAL CONTACT.

OWENS EMPHASIZEd THIS YEAR’S SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH THEME “DATING IN THE DIGITAL” WHICH ENCOURAGES NEW YORKERS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT DANGERS IN ONLINE SETTINGS.  

“There’s tracking mechanisms now and all of those things that have opened a whole new way of power and control for abusers,” said Owens. 

DENIM DAY RAISES AWARENESS AROUND THE ISSUE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND THE STATE SERVICES AVAILABLE-- LIKE THE OFFICE FOR THE PREVENTION OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE.  

SOME LOCAL CRIME VICTIMS SERVICES CENTER WORKERS SAid PROJECTS LIKE THIS HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT FOR SURVIVORS.  

“So often people who have survived sexual violence feel like they are alone and events like this are an opportunity to show them that they’re not,” said Lindsey Crusan-Muse, the director of St. Peter’s Crime Victim Services.