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Rear Ends Clothing Store Collecting Donations For Sanctum House And Sex Trafficking Victims

(CBS DETROIT)- Staff at Rear Ends clothing store in Bloomfield Hills, wearing Denim Thursday, no not for fashion purposes, but to raise awareness to an important cause.

"We wear denim today to advocate for victims of sexual assault," said Ariana Carps, Owner of Rear Ends

Carps says this cause is very important to her and helps give a voice to victims. International Denim Day grew out of a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision.

"A young girl was assaulted the attacker was convicted but the case was overturned because her jeans were tight so he couldn't have attacked her without her help taking off the jeans," Carps said.

The attacker was eventually resentenced. This year for Denim Day, Rear Ends is giving back to women in need and will donate items to Sanctum House in Oakland County.

"I had been a woman at risk I had been a heroin addict for 10 years and I lived in a long-term treatment program," said Founder of Sanctum House, Edee Franklin.

Franklin is also Executive Director of Sanctum House, a 2-year residential shelter and treatment home for human trafficked women. The home opened 3 years ago and has served 60 survivors.

"When they leave us they're gainfully employed and they're able to get their own apartment and do what they need to do to give back to the community," said Franklin.

Franklin says, the women sometimes come in with only the clothes on their backs, that's why donations are so important. She says it's a community effort to help victims, and to see their progress after the program, is overwhelming.

"Seeing a woman when they come in scared and fearful and unsafe and mistrusting, it's overwhelming to me when I see how they turn out," an emotional Franklin said during an interview Thursday.

If you would like to participate Rear Ends is collecting gently used clothing items until Saturday, May 1.

Customers will receive a gift certificate as a thank you for their donation. Gift certificates will be valid from May 17 to May 29.

For more information about Sanctum House please visit here.

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