In observance of April being Sexual Assault Awareness month, the Interfraternity Council, UCAPD, Athletics and Student Life have organized “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” during x-period on Thursday, April 3.
The walk will be at the Crafton Alumni Pavilion on campus and everyone is encouraged to participate.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an award-winning national event that is focused on stopping rape, sexual assault and gender violence by getting men to walk a mile in high heels to play on the expression “you can’t really understand another person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes.”
It allows a playful and lighthearted event to have a big effect by raising awareness and getting the community to discuss the serious issue of gender relations and sexual violence against women.
Statistics gathered from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network show that 80% of victims are less than 30 years old, 44% being under 18. Every two minutes, someone in the United States is being sexually assaulted and each year there are roughly 237, 868 victims of sexual assault throughout the country.
Some other startling statistics are that 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police, 97% of rapists will never spend a day in jail and 38% of rapists are actually a friend or acquaintance of the victim.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes founder, Frank Baird, first proposed the walk in 2001.
He was impressed by the women-led movements for sexual violence awareness and wanted to find a way to get involved himself and provide an opportunity for all men to get involved.
A press release on the foundation’s website expresses Baird’s voice on the matter.
“Violence against women does not just affect women,” Baird said. “Men are hurt and angered when women they care about are raped. Men are hurt and angered when they try to develop relationships with women in an atmosphere of fear and mistrust and blame. And the same violence that targets women also targets men because rape isn’t about sex, its about power, control and violence.”
Baird and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes have won four awards and one honor: David Lawrence Community Service Award (2010), Safe Passage Good Samaritan Award (2008), Peter Markin Merit Award (2007) , Kaiser’s Everyday Hero Award(2005), and Equality Now: On the Road to Equality, Honoring Men on the Front Lines (2006).
Update: Due to imminent inclement weather, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes has been moved to the indoor practice field.
