Walk a Mile in Her Shoes on April 8
March 26, 2014
On Tuesday, April 8, the University of Southern Indiana's Sexual Assault and Gender Violence Prevention Group and Albion Fellows Bacon Center will host "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men's March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence." The event, which raises awareness of rape, sexual assault, and gender violence, is held annually on the USI campus.
Inspired by the saying that you can't understand someone else's experience until you've walked a mile in his or her shoes, men will literally walk one mile in women's high heeled shoes. Women and children are also welcome to participate.
Among the men participating will be Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams '89; Evansville Police Department Chief Billy Bolin; and Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nick Hermann. USI men participating include Michael Aakhus, dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Tyler Robling, president of the Interfraternity Council, and Zack Mathis, president of the Student Government Association.
Registration for the walk begins at 5 p.m. at the University Center Amphitheatre near the Cone. This year's speaker is a young man who will discuss the impact of child sexual abuse he experienced.
The walk is sponsored by a number of USI campus organizations, including Fraternity and Sorority Life of USI, Student Government Association, and Student Housing Association. Community sponsors include Holly's House, Fraternal Order of Police #73, Lampion Center, the YWCA, Boyd Electric, and SouthWest Graphix.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes recently received a project award in the neighborhood/community division at the Leadership Evansville Celebration of Leadership.
Albion Fellows Bacon Center, a nonprofit agency serving victims of domestic and sexual violence, provided sexual assault services to 938 primary and secondary victims in 2012. Albion provides emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis line, short-term individual crisis counseling, support groups, and legal and medical advocacy to victims and their friends and family. All services are free of charge. For more information or to arrange an intervie with the speaker, contact Christina Wicks at Albion Fellows Bacon Center, 812-422-9372.
The USI contact is Christine Tolis Johnston, assistant program director in Student Wellness: 812-461-5483.