This Denim Day special is live with Dana and Chloe on Red Flags and Body Bags.

What started as one 18-year-old girl’s r*pe case in Italy in 1992 became a worldwide symbol of resistance when the Supreme Court overturned her attacker’s conviction — because she was wearing tight jeans. The court literally ruled that “it is nearly impossible to slip off tight jeans without the active collaboration of the person wearing them.”

Twenty-six years later in Cork, Ireland, a defense barrister held up a 17-year-old r*pe victim’s lace th*ng in open court and told the jury: “You have to look at the way she was dressed. She was wearing a th*ng with a lace front.”

Both cases used clothing as “evidence” of consent — and both sparked massive protests that gave birth to Denim Day.

In this powerful live episode we break down:

• The full stories behind the “jeans alibi” and the “thong trial”
• How victim-blaming still happens in courtrooms today
• The red flags every listener needs to recognize
• Why wearing denim on the last Wednesday of April is more than just a trend

We also share practical ways to spot and push back against clothing-based victim-blaming, plus resources for survivors.

Resources (pinned in comments & show notes):

• National Sexual Assault Hotline (US): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or rainn.org
• Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault
• DenimDay.org

If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual violence, you are believed. What you were wearing was never consent.

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#DenimDay #ThisIsNotConsent #VictimBlaming #RedFlags #SexualAssaultAwareness #redflagsandbodybags #survivor

Our best crime shorts of the week all compiled into one video for you to binge! Dates are in the title. If you like what we do don't forget to follow and find us on all of our socials. Visit our link below to see more.

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Episode SummaryWelcome to Red Flag Rewind Fridays on Red Flags and Body Bags — where we dust off old cases that still hit hard today.

⚠️ Trigger WarningThis episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual assault, extreme violence, mutilation, and trauma. Listener discretion is strongly advised. If you need to step away, we understand.

This week: the unforgettable story of Mary Bell Vincent (now Mary Bell McGriff). At just 15 years old, she was picked up while hitchhiking in California by Lawrence Singleton. What followed was hours of r*pe, t*rture, and a hatchet att*ck that severed both of her forearms. Believing her dead, Singleton threw her n*ked body over a 30-foot ravine.

But Mary survived in ways that still defy belief. This episode tells the full story — the little-known details, her heroic survival walk, the trial, Singleton’s later crimes, and how Mary rebuilt her life as an artist, mother, and advocate.

🆘 Resources & SupportIf you or someone you love has experienced s*xual violence or trauma:

• National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) — available 24/7
• Online chat: rainn.org
• Local victim services: Search “crime victim assistance” in your area

You are not alone. Help is available.

🔗 Mary’s Own Words – Must-Read 2023 InterviewsMary McGriff sat down for an incredibly honest three-part series with Key Peninsula News in 2023. These are the most detailed, recent interviews she has ever given:

• Part 1: The Heart of a Survivor – Blood, Courage, TriumphRead here
• Part 2: The Heart of a Survivor – Playing Bad Cards With Strong HandsRead here
• Part 3: The Heart of a Survivor – From Sorrow Comes SplendorRead here

📚 Additional Sources & Further Reading

• Court records and contemporary news coverage (Stanislaus County, 1979 & Hillsborough County, 1998)
• California “Singleton Bill” legislative history (1987)

💬 Listener ActionWhat did you think of this Red Flag Rewind episode? Drop it in the comments, DM me, or leave a voice note!

If this story moved you, please:

• Share it with a friend
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New regular episode drops Wednesday with fresh red flags.

Until next Red Flag Rewind Friday… stay safe, watch for the flags, and remember: some stories end in body bags… but the strongest ones end with the survivor painting her own future.

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