{"id":78448,"date":"2024-04-11T11:19:17","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T16:19:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=78448"},"modified":"2024-04-12T08:46:38","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T13:46:38","slug":"annual-walk-a-mile-event-aims-to-end-sexual-and-domestic-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tigermedianet.com\/?p=78448","title":{"rendered":"Annual ‘Walk A Mile’ event aims to end sexual and domestic violence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Story by RAEGAN NEUFELD Photos by TONY GUERRERO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger Media Network<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the Interfraternity Council at Fort Hays hosted its 16th annual Walk A Mile In Her Shoes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The event took place at the Downtown Pavilion, with representatives from Options Domestic and Sexual Violence Services, Jana\u2019s Campaign, the FHSU Compliance Office and the University Police Department present. Participants enjoyed food, drinks, games and the mile walk, which the men did in high heels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walk A Mile In Her Shoes is an international effort, started in 2001, to support the end of sexual assault and domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty serious conversation, but I\u2019m very proud of all the people who want to address it,\u201d IFC president Parker Opat said. \u201cThey know that it\u2019s a necessity for this to end. You have to address the hard facts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events like Walk A Mile In Her Shoes are a way for ICF, the fraternities and the sororities to make an impact outside of campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a great way to get involved with the community,\u201d Opat said. \u201cI feel like a lot of the time, Greek life as a whole gets a bad rap, but we like to promote different things in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By partnering with organizations like Options and Jana\u2019s Campaign, the event is also centered around education. Options Victim Advocate and Campus Outreach Coordinator Anniston Weber said education and believing survivors are two steps to ending sexual violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat shouldn\u2019t be the most difficult aspect of it, but I would say it is for a lot of people because of the way our society thinks about sexual abuse and sexual assault,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several more events happening throughout the next few weeks for sexual assault awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n