“Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”, the international men’s march to stop gender violence, was held on SVSU’s campus Thursday, April 6.
The event was headed by the Saginaw County Sexual Violence Prevention Team and raised awareness about physical violence toward women.
During the event, participants (men, women and children) walked one mile in a pair of high-heeled shoes.
Interim Director of Student Wellness Andrea Hamlin said the event raised awareness in the community about serious causes, effects and remediation to men’s sexualized violence against women.
“I think that it is important to open the lines of communication about sexual violence,” she said. “Many people tend to ignore or feel uncomfortable discussing these subjects. We cannot combat these behaviors and actions if we do not let it be known that it is unacceptable.”
Hamlin said she believes the event benefited students by showing that domestic abuse and violence against women can talk about these topics while becoming more socially aware.
“It allows people to come together and discuss these topics that are very important to our campus and community,” she said. “It is important for us to prevent sexual assault and equip our students and community with the necessary information to be a better bystander and stop sexual violence.”
Moreover, Hamlin said the event showed that a support system for those affected by physical violence exists and that help was readily available.
“Also, if a victim has experienced any form of sexual violence, we want them to know that we are here for support and providing services for healing,” she said. “I think we do that with this event and through our educational efforts at SVSU.”
Hamlin said the best thing students can do to help with “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” is to not let the conversation about domestic violence end once the event is over.
“This topic should be something all students should be aware of and feel comfortable discussing with peers, faculty, staff, and their families,” she said.
