Actor Harry Lennix to Host 8th Annual Denim Day in L.A. Rape Prevention Education Rally on April 19th, 2006; Thousands Expected to Attend Event at Staples Center Parking Lot 7.

LOS ANGELES -- April 19th, 2006 is the 8th Annual Denim Day in L.A. Harry Lennix, Actor on ABC's "Commander in Chief," will join 1,500 Denim Day in L.A. participants at a Speak Out and Rally between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 19th to encourage the citizens of Los Angeles to break their silence and speak out against rape and sexual assault. "Denim Day is about all forms of sexual abuse," said Harry Lennix the Denim Day 2006 Co-Host. "Date & acquaintance rape, rape in prison, incest, sex trafficking, sexual torture in war crimes. The pervasiveness of these crimes is continually being uncovered, so there is a strong need to raise awareness." Rally participants will represent a fraction of more than 100,000 Denim Day in L.A. participants throughout Los Angeles County who will make a social statement with their fashion statement on April 19th by wearing jeans as a means of publicly challenging the attitudes that excuse rape. "Sexual violence does not discriminate," said Calista Flockhart, LACAAW's National Spokesperson. "It does not limit itself to one group of people...not one age group, not one race, not one sexual orientation, not one country. We are all affected by sexual violence."

Why Denim? Because in 1999 a Supreme Court Justice in Italy overturned a rape case because he said that the young girl's jeans were too tight to be taken off by someone else -- so she must have helped and she must have consented. Because LACAAW's hotlines get over 1400 calls a month regarding sexual violence. Because rape happens to someone in the state of California every 54 minutes. Because rape happens in prison, under the cover of clergy, on dates and within marriage. Because girls and young women and people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable.

"Why is sexual violence so prevalent?" asked LACAAW's Executive Director Patti Giggans. "No one ever says they are for it. So if everyone is against rape and the sexual molestation of children -- how come we can't stop it? One of the main reasons is that it is a crime that occurs in the shadows and is kept secretive. It is a crime of traumatic abuse that thrives in silence. It is the bravest among us that come forward and report it -- talk about it. Survivors of these crimes will be speaking out on Denim Day in L.A."

What:     Denim Day in L.A. Sexual Assault Awareness Month Campaign
          and Rally

Speakers: Harry Lennix (ABC's "Commander in Chief"), ABC-7 News Anchor
          Karen Carlson and members of the Los Angeles City Council

Who:      The Los Angeles City Council will be wearing jeans, staff
          and students of LA Unified, as well as employees of Boeing,
          CHW Catholic Healthcare West, Verizon Wireless, Wells Fargo
          and over 250,000 others throughout Los Angeles will be
          wearing jeans on April 19th.  Denim Day in L.A. is sponsored
          by: Liner Yankelevitz Sunshine & Regenstreif, Boeing, Clear
          Channel Outdoor, Inc., NOKIA, Film-LA, Frankie B Jeans, Ken
          Spiker and Associates, Rachel Abroms Designs, Nic's and the
          Martini Lounge, Staples Center Foundation, Wells Fargo, C.A.
          Department of Health Services - EPIC Branch-Rape Prevention
          and Education (RPE) Program and endorsed by the L.A. City
          Commission on the Status of Women, the L.A. County
          Commission on the Status of Women, LAC-SAC, CALCASA, all the
          rape crisis centers in L.A. County.

When:     Wednesday, April 19th, 2006 - 11 AM

Where:    Rally at Staples Center, Parking Lot 7.
          Located at 11th & Flower.

To Register Participation and order a Denim Day Action Kit, or for More Information visit www.denimdayinla.org or call LACAAW at [phone].

Denim Day in L.A. began in 1999 as part of international protest following an Italian Supreme Court's decision to overturn a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans. The justices stated in their decision that, "it is common knowledge...that jeans cannot even be partly removed without the effective help of the person wearing them" ...therefore it must have been consensual sex.

LACAAW is a sexual and domestic violence prevention center that has developed and implemented violence prevention programs throughout its 34-year history as a service provider to survivors of violence. Last year, LACAAW served 55,000 Los Angeles residents through its various programs.