Don’t worry guys, shoes will be provided… but if you have your own pair of bright red stilettos that you are used to, the walk might be a little more comfortable.
The Big Country Anti-Violence Association (BCAVA) is hosting its second Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. The event is an opportunity for the community to come together to support ending sexual and gender violence. BCAVA President Cindy Stelmaschuk says the main goal of the event is to get people talking.
“Our motto is ‘end the silence, stop the violence,’ and this brings it to the forefront. It gets people talking and realizing domestic abuse is a big issue,” said Stelmaschuk. “The more people who are talking about it, the less hidden it is.”
And the silence can be painful or even deadly. While about one in three women experience sexual assault in their lifetime, only eight percent of sexual assaults are reported to police. In the majority of cases of victims who have not reported a sexual assault, they say they did not feel it was important enough. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a chance to show solidarity.
“Just having the men walking in a unified way with women, shows the support that they will not strike women and don't want to have violence in their lives,” she said.
The event is slated for Wednesday, May 16 at 11 a.m. The group will muster at the Drum FM parking lot and will venture east on Highway 10, with the brave men trekking in high heels, and conclude with a barbecue at the Drumheller Co-op.
In 2010 the BCAVA hosted its inaugural event and 50 men participated. BCAVA look on track to repeating this success.
“We have 24 committed walkers and we haven’t even begun really shaking the trees yet,” said Stelmaschuk.
On top of showing solidarity and raising awareness, the event also supports programs and resources to help those who have violence in their life. The 2010 event raised about $19,500 and assisted the BCAVA in developing a website linking victims and the community at large to resources and service. They also began the development of an emergency fund to assist families in accessing emergency shelter. The funds also supported training and prevention efforts.
Pledge sheets are available from Marian Ewing at the Drumheller Health Centre, Cora Bolt at Addictions Services Drumheller or BCAVA president Stelmaschuk. Participants are asked to obtain a minimum of $100 in pledges.
More information on this initiative is available at www.walkamileinhershoes.org, www.bcava.com or by contacting BCAVA President, Cindy Stelmaschuk at (403) 823-3095.
