SAAVI encourages sexual violence awareness
Despite rainy weather, 50 men showed up to show support and participate in the annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at USU.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is held around the county every April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month to raise funds and awareness for rape, sexual assault and gender violence, according to the Sexual Assault and Anti-Violence Information (SAAVI) office’s website.
Male participants took a stand on these issues by finding sponsors for the cause and then walking a one-mile course on USU’s campus, beginning and ending in the Taggart Student Center hallway in front of the Bookstore. Each participant donned a pair of women’s high heels or specially decorated shoes.
Money raised by the annual event is donated to the SAAVI office, which is a campus resource where students can find information and receive support concerning issues regarding sexual assault and violence issues, according to the SAAVI website.
Codie Thurgood, a senior majoring in social work, is a practicum student at the SAAVI office and helped coordinate the event. She said the group planned for the possibility of rainy or otherwise inclement weather by providing ways to encourage participation.
“USU has been doing this for eight years. It is raining, but we have umbrellas for some if they want them,” she said.
Monica Bailey, SAAVI office program director, said, “It’s a really great event, and we really appreciate the students who come and support it and the community members who also come to support it. It wouldn’t happen if nobody came.”
Bailey also said Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a great way for people to speak up about sexual assault issues.
“It’s a chance for them to do something productive while only stepping out of their comfort zones for just a few minutes,” she said.
Walk a Mile in Her Shoes was started in 2001 by Frank Baird, a clinical supervisor at the Valley Trauma Center in Van Nuys, Calif., to raise awareness of sexual assault, according to the SAAVI website.
“Violence against women does not just affect women,” Baird said. “Men are hurt and angered when women they care about are raped. The same violence that targets women also targets men, because rape isn’t about sex, it’s about power, control and violence. I knew that for every man who could be persuaded to think differently about gender roles, gender relationships and gender violence, many more women would be spared – and so, too, would the men in their lives.”
Thurgood said the event is used to raise awareness and to help people hear other people’s concerns.
“As we stand together, we can make it stop,” she said.
Thurgood said the event is also beneficial because it is a visual and aural representation of people standing up for a cause.
“It’s such a taboo subject,” Thurgood said. “No one wants to talk about rape or sexual assault or gender violence, but as we start raising awareness and get people wearing their T-shirts and getting involved, it starts to show that it’s not something that should be swept under the rug or hidden or can’t be talked about. It’s something we can work through together.”
Bailey said she noticed the number of participants this year was down from last year’s event.
“Last year we had 90 (participants), but this year we did only one consolidated walk. Last year we did three walkarounds,” she said.
At the end of the walk, prizes were awarded to participants. Ryan Johnson won for having the most pledges, Justin Zizumbo won for having the best walk and the Sigma Chi fraternity won for having the largest group of walkers.
The SAAVI office is an open resource to students on campus, regardless of age or the situations they may have experienced, the SAAVI website states.
“There’s support here,” Thurgood said. “There are people here that care and want to help you. You’re not alone.”
Information and support for male and female victims of sexual assault, as well as those who wish to know where they can help, can be found at www.usu.edu/SAAVI.
– keithjjackman@gmail.com