RANCHO SANTA FE - During an evening of fashion, food and flair, 400 attendees gathered for the second annual Jeans for Justice event held at the enchanting Bernard Gardens in Rancho Santa Fe on May 5. The event supported increased awareness of rape and sexual assault.

Bob Bernard, the owner of Bernard Gardens, welcomed the crowd by opening his home for the evening's festivities. "This is a great cause and I'm glad to be involved," said Bernard, who is also involved in philanthropic work with the Village Church, which works to build churches in African countries.

Jeans for Justice is a campaign that originated in Milan, Italy, in 1999 after a court decision overturned a rape conviction. The court ruled that the 45-year old man convicted of raping an 18-year old woman could not be guilty because the victim was wearing jeans, which they ruled to be a garment that could not be removed without the help of the person wearing them.

The May 5 fashion show was an opportunity for local designers to showcase their custom-designed jeans, which were auctioned off to benefit the Center for Community Solutions, an agency that reaches out to people harmed mentally and physically by rape or sexual assault.

Danielle Lindle, associative executive director for the center said the evening's event opened dialogue among the crowd. "People either know someone that has been assaulted or they have a personal story themselves. They are really passionate about making sure that there is help available," Lindle said. "They are cheering us on."

Keynote speaker Kathryn Keats bravely shared her personal story of overcoming years of sexual assault. "To stand before you tonight where I know surely I will be seen, is something that I don't take for granted, " Keats said to a supportive and cheering crowd. "I was forced to change my name and my identity in order to stay alive."

Keats later revealed that she was raped repeatedly over the course of several years by a man suffering from mental illness. "I have survived rape! I was a victim and now I am a victor," she said.

Lindle said that for women and men to successfully deal with having been sexually assaulted, society needs to change its way of thinking about the issue. "People think that rape prevention is about telling women what to avoid and what to do," she said. "I call that rape protection. We need to change (our) culture so that (we) do not tolerate any kind of sexual abuse or harassment."

For more information about Jeans for Justice, visit www.consciouslysocial.com

For information on Center for Community Solutions visit www.ccssd.org.