Women, men and children in outrageous high heels of all colors and kinds, as well as some dogs with shoes of their own, took on the challenge of walking a mile in less-than-comfortable shoes to raise awareness and funds to fight sexual assault.
Walk A Mile In Their Shoes raises money for Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands, an organization providing no-cost services for sexual assault victims in the Midlands area.
“Any step along the way of their process, whether their assault happened yesterday or 10 years ago, we're here to help." Mary Dell Hayes, the executive director of STSM, said.
The funds raised at the event are vital in order for the organization to provide services like a 24-hour hotline, counseling sessions and assistance in pursuing their case in the criminal justice system to over 2,000 survivors in the community every year.
“If someone were to seek these services from a private practitioner, one of these therapy sessions would cost approximately $120. It can really be a burden and obstacle for somebody to seek healing,” Hayes said.
It's a cause many people can and do get behind. This year's Walk a Mile event had a total of 1,500 people in attendance.
USC School of Medicine professor Erika Blanck participated in the event as a part of the team called Hot Heels that has won the top fundraising team for the past three years. She works to increase awareness and involvement for the event on campus and has many of her graduate students walk alongside her.
"Usually one or two students in each class put it on their Facebook and they sign up because one, they think it's awesome and hilarious to walk in heels, but then to support a cause that is very meaningful, especially for, as you can imagine, college and even graduate and medical school because most likely they know someone who has been sexually assaulted," Blanck said.
Team Hot Heels, comprised of around 40 people, raised over $5,000 for the event, owing much of their success to their team member Carlos Suarez, who is a part of the Board of Directors and single-handedly raised over $4,000.
“I decided to get a bit crazy with it and create a shoe. It just raises awareness ... [people] see that I’m enthusiastic about it and then they just ask me if they can sponsor me,” Suarez said.
Suarez actively supports STSM through events like this because of the moving survivor stories that he has heard.
“People share what they’ve gone through and how they’re rebuilding their lives. It’s incredible and you know the money is put to good use. And you know that the people, the training, everything is just top-notch,” Suarez said.
South Carolina Department of Corrections was recognized as the group with the most participants at 475. Alpha Chi Omega was the largest student organization in attendance with 200 people, and they were the runner-up for the top fundraising team, having raised over $4,000.
It was the third year Team Hot Heels was victorious in its fundraising efforts and, with members like Suarez who are so passionate about fighting sexual assault, it doesn't seem as though they will slow down anytime soon.