News | City of West Hollywood

The City of West Hollywood joins communities around the world in recognizing National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month this April. Community members can amplify the message of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month by using the hashtags #DenimDay, #OnlyYes and #Consent.

The City encourages community members to wear jeans Denim Day, Wednesday April 24, 2024. Jeans Day is an internationally recognized day to raise awareness about rape and sexual assault. It was founded by the non-profit organization Peace Over Violence following a 1999 court ruling in Italy in which a rape conviction case was overturned on the grounds that because the victim was wearing tight jeans at the time of the attack, she must have expressed consent. Each year, city staff members and public safety partners at the West Hollywood Sheriffs Station recognize Denim Day by wearing denim and participating in a group photo to raise awareness. Denim Day is organized each year by the city's Community Safety Department in the spirit of uniting against sexual assault, breaking the silence on sexual violence and supporting survivors.

The City of West Hollywood continues its work to raise awareness about sexual assault and consent among its Only yes means yes campaign. First launched in 2016, the #OnlyYes campaign was expanded in 2021 with additional awareness, graphics and targeted messaging in and around nightlife establishments.

The City will host an awareness event to encourage people to be more aware of sexual assault, to promote a message of consent with its Only yes means yes public awareness campaign and to distribute test strips intended to detect the possible presence of date rape drugs, such as GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate) or ketamine. The test strip user drops a small amount of liquid drink onto the test patch, which turns dark blue if medications are present.

The awareness event will take place on Friday April 26, 2024 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at various nightlife establishments in the Citys Rainbow District and along the Sunset Strip. Participants will include members of the West Hollywood City Council; the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station; Block by block security ambassadors; the WeHo Life program of LGBT centers in Los Angeles; members of the City of West Hollywood Women's Advisory Council, as well as other city officials and city staff. Participants will distribute awareness and prevention materials in various nightlife venues across the city. More information is available on the city calendar.

Information and resources on sexual assault awareness and prevention will be distributed throughout the month of April at various city events and meetings, including the City of West Hollywood Women's Leadership Conference and the network mini-film festival: The rise of women's voices, be held on Saturday April 20, 2024 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. in the West Hollywood City Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. The mini-film festival will feature short films directed by female filmmakers and commemorate the city's annual participation in the global campaign against violence. A billion on the risefounded by playwright Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) in 2012, which began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped in their lifetime. Free entry. For tickets, go to https://wlcnfilmfest24.eventbrite.com.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly one in five American women are victims of rape or attempted rape, and nearly 44% of women and 25% of men experience some form of rape. sexual violence during their lives. Within the LGBTQ community, approximately one in eight lesbian women (13%) and nearly half of bisexual women (46%) have been raped in their lifetime; four in 10 gay men (40%) and almost half of bisexual men (47%) have experienced sexual violence other than rape in their lifetime. Additionally, having multiple disabilities can increase the risk of rape and sexual assault. Women with disabilities are twice as likely to be victims of assault and rape, and children with mental disorders or intellectual disabilities are almost five times more likely suffer sexual abuse. According to a 2015 U.S. trans survey conducted by the National Center for Transgender Equality, approximately 47% of transgender people are sexually assaulted in their lifetime.

The City of West Hollywood has a series of ongoing efforts in place to help create and maintain a safe environment at nightlife establishments that serve alcohol. The city of West Hollywood became the first city in California to pass an ordinance in late 2021 requiring Bystander intervention training for staff of commercial establishments that serve alcohol for consumption on site. The training program started in March 2022; The training is provided by the Rape Treatment Center (RTC) at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center and offers an educational course that addresses the issue of drug-facilitated sexual assault and date rape drugs. The training also promotes the proactive role that on-premises alcohol sales establishments can play in preventing sexual assault. To date, more than 2,200 employees have participated in this training.

For more information on the City of West Hollywood's Bystander Intervention Training Program for establishments that serve alcohol for consumption on premises, please contact Danny Rivas, Director of Community Safety for the City of West Hollywood at (323) 848-6424 or [email protected].

The City, in partnership with Los Angeles LGBT Centers' WeHo Life program, is distributing alcohol beverage test strips to nightlife establishments in West Hollywood. WeHo Life program outreach staff began their test strip distribution efforts in October 2022 to inform and educate community members and businesses that alcoholic beverage test strips are a personal safety tool which can be used anywhere and anytime. To date, approximately 35,000 alcohol test strips have been distributed to 39 participating local businesses and organizations in the City of West Hollywood.

The City and West Hollywood Sheriff's Station urge anyone who believes they may be a victim of a crime or anyone in the community with public safety concerns to contact the Sheriff's Station 24/7 at (310 ) 855-8850. In an emergency, always call 911.

The City of West Hollywood Public Safety Web Zone provides personal safety tips on nightlife safety and sexual assault prevention, as well as resources; please visit: https://www.weho.org/city-government/city-departments/community-safety/public-safety/crime-prevention-and-personal-safety-tips/sexual-assault-prevention-night-club -security.

If you or someone you love has been a victim of sexual assault, domestic violence or domestic harassment, there are resources to help you.

The Los Angeles County Rape and Battering Hotline, Peace Over Violence, a confidential, non-judgmental resource where emotional support, advocacy, information and referrals are available, can be reached 24 hours a day by contacting (213) 626-3393. or (310) 392-8381 or at www.peaceoverviolence.org.

The Los Angeles LGBT Centers' STOP Violence program aims to increase access to mental health and support services for LGBTQ survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and intimate partner violence. Call (323) 860-5806 or email [email protected].

The Jewish Family Services Domestic Violence Program offers 24-hour confidential crisis lines for victims of abuse by contacting (310) 858-9344 (English/Spanish); (818) 464-2864 (Farsi) and (310) 858-9344 (Orthodox Jewish).

The National Network on Rape, Abuse and Incest (RAIN), organizes the National Sexual Assault Hotline, a referral service that can put you in touch with your local rape crisis center. The hotline can be reached 24 hours a day at (800) 656-4673, or access RAINN's chat feature for assistance at www.rainn.org.

The Rape Treatment Center (RTC) at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center provides free, comprehensive treatment to victims of sexual assault and their families, including 24-hour emergency medical care, forensic examinations and counseling in the event of a crisis. The RTC can be reached 24 hours a day at (424) 259-7208 or at uclahealth.org/medical-services/rtc.

The City of West Hollywood has a variety of helpful safety and prevention tips on its website. To learn more, please visit www.weho.org/publicsafety.

For more information about Denim Day, please call the city's Community Safety Division at (323) 848-6414. To learn more about the City's Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month awareness event, please contact Larissa Fooks, Community Programs Coordinator for the City of West Hollywood, at (323) 848-6413 or [email protected]. For those who are deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

For up-to-date information on City of West Hollywood news and events, follow @wehocity on social media, sign up for updates at www.weho.org/email and visit the meeting calendar and city ​​events on www. weho.org/calendar. City Hall services are available by telephone at (323) 848-6400 and via the website at www.weho.org.

For reporters and members of the media interested in additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact City of West Hollywood Public Information Officer Sheri A. Lunn at (323) 848-6391 or [email protected].