Sexual violence in our Big Island communities is often a topic we just don’t want to discuss — but when men put on high heels and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes it causes many to give it a second thought.
“It’s a lighter way to deal with a harsh topic,” said Lorraine Davis, YWCA of Hawaii Island chief operating officer. She later added, “while we can’t say walking a mile in her shoes is the same as being sexually assaulted, we can say the pain creates compassion.”
Big Islanders hit Kailua-Kona streets Saturday morning donning high heels, wedges and decorated slippers to raise awareness of sexual violence and gender violence all the whilst raising funds to support YWCA of Hawaii Island programs. The nonprofit’s annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Kona event attracted a couple dozen men, women and children who marched about a mile in the vicinity of Kona Commons to support YWCA efforts here.
“You’re more of a man when you can forget about your ego and put on heels and do something like this,” said Joee Roderick of Kailua-Kona as he put on a flashy pair of 3.5-inch red heels. “It makes you a stronger man.”
The Big Island’s annual event, formerly known as whY-Walk, is held simultaneously in Hilo and Kona. It strives to raise about $25,000 to support YWCA of Hawaii Island’s Sexual Assault Support Services. The walk, which began in 2009, raised somewhere between $14,000 and $15,000 last year, said Davis. She was hopeful that Saturday’s events would raise the $25,000 to support the free-of-charge programs offered by the organization.
SASS provides locally an array of services to victims including a 24/7 rape crisis hot line, therapy, counseling, crisis intervention, support and other services, said Davis, who noted the organization has offices in Hilo and Kona. It is provided to victims who’ve recently or in the past been a victim of sexual violence or gender violence.
The local event is held annually during October, which has been designated Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Domestic Violence Awareness Month has grown from a single Day of Unity conceived by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence in October 1981. The day was set aside to connect advocates across the nation who were working to end violence against women and their children, according to YWCA USA.
In 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. In 1989, Congress designated by law October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
On average, about 20 people — men and women — per minute are victims of physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. One in three women and one in four men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. Moreover, one in five women and one in 59 men in the United States have experienced rape in their lifetime.
Davis added that by the age of 18, one in four girls and one in six boys have been the victim of sexual violence.
On any given day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide, according to the national coalition.
Last year, the YWCA of Hawaii Island answered 1,983 calls to its hotline; 901 of those calls were follow-up calls or calls related to victims and their care, according to statistics provided by Davis. The organization made contact with 341 victims and provided therapy to 239 victims.
For more information, visit ywcahawaiiisland.org or call the Hilo office at 935-7141. YWCA of Hawaii Island’s Sexual Assault Support Crisis Line can be reached by calling 935-0677. All calls to the crisis line are confidential.