Walking a mile ....in HER heels

On the morning of Sept. 19, approximately 100 men gave up their usual footwear and traded them in for women's heels.

These Winston-Salem State male students participated in "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes," an international event to take a stand against physical, mental, and sexual violence committed against women.

 The walk took place in the Southwest Gateway area of Winston-Salem.

"Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" was introduced to the Winston-Salemcommunity as part of Family Services Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative. 

The organization was formed in 2001 to inform the world of the active support and contributions men give to stop violence against women.

WSSU campus organizations -- including Black Men for Change, Campus Life Marketing Committee, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. -- were represented during the walk.

A host of women also came out to show their encouragement.

"The heels represent the discomfort that women feel each and every day," Lloyd Leonard, a rape prevention specialist said in a recent WFMY-2 interview.

"Each time they step outside their homes, cars, look around car garages, go through the grocery stores that's an ongoing discomfort that they feel each and every day. We were trying to at least empathize with what women go through on an every day basis," he said.

According to Family Services, the high heels were symbolic statements to show support for the cause of stopping domestic violence.

The walk was also established to stress the importance that both genders can prevent the incidents of domestic violence from occurring.

Terell Burgess, a junior mass communications major from Syracuse, N.Y. participated in the walk.

"I used to think when woman complain about their feet in heels they were exaggerating," Burgess said.

"When I did it for Walk a Mile in Her Shoes my feet were hurting. I thought I wouldn't have to do it because I wear a size 15 in men's but the sponsors gave me special shoes which were open toed," he said.

 "At the end, my feet had blisters. I felt the experience was worth it because it made me aware of domestic violence between men and women."