Men will march in women’s heels to increase awareness of violence
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A person can’t really understand another’s experience until they’ve walked a mile in their shoes. Building on that premise, the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Women’s Center, UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Project and the Kansas City Anti-Violence Project are asking men to walk a mile in women’s high-heeled shoes.
UMKC’s fifth annual Walk a Mile In Her Shoes: An International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence event is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22 at the University Playhouse near 51st and Holmes Streets in Kansas City, Mo. The march will begin at 6 p.m. and a cookout will begin at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, the event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 29.
Registration includes a T-shirt and the cookout and is $15 for students with their own heels; $20 for students renting heels; $30 for non-students with their own heels; and $50 for non-students renting heels. Non-participants can purchase cookout tickets for $7. Participants can register and fundraise online at http://umkcwalkamile2011.eventbrite.com/. More information about the 2011 event can be found at http://www.umkc.edu/womenc/walkamile/. Proceeds benefit the UMKC Violence Prevention and Response Project.
“Walking in women’s shoes helps men better understand and appreciate women’s experiences, thus changing perspectives, helping improve gender relationships and decreasing the potential for violence,” said Brenda Bethman, director of the Women’s Center.
The event provides an opportunity for men to raise awareness in their community about the serious causes, effects and remediation to sexualized violence. Their mission is to create a unique and powerful public experience that educates individuals and communities about the causes of sexualized violence, provides prevention and remediation strategies and empowers them to further develop and implement the knowledge and skills interpersonally and politically.
For more information about the national Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign, visit www.walkamileinhershoes.org.
The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.