Walk a Mile event gains momentum in KC

The walkers teetered in red and black patent leather, stiletto, and open-toed heels. Most were college age and none were women.

Eighty-five men and scores of supporters from the University of Missouri-Kansas City and community came out Sept. 22 to participate in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence, sponsored by UMKC’s Women’s Center.

Participants rented, borrowed or bought high heel shoes for a one-mile walk through campus to raise awareness and stop violence against women.

“It’s a good event for men to come out and show their support,” Brenda Bethman, Women’s Center director, said. “It’s a nice way to talk about a serious issue in a fun way.”

Volunteers said the third annual event has grown to nearly 100 walkers, consisting of fraternities, university athletes, students, faculty, staff and community members.

Bob Young, Kansas City, Mo., participated in the event for the first time, encouraged by an associate. Young said he wore his open-toed high heel sandals at a networking activity the same morning to bring attention to Walk a Mile.

“It’s awareness,” he said of the event. “It opens your eyes.”

Lewis Diuguid, Kansas City, Mo., also walked last year. He said verbal, physical and other acts of violence against women are wrong.

“Sometimes you have to do a very public thing to get attention,” he said. “If this is a way to underscore this, then it’s a good thing.”

Fraternity members from Sigma Alpha Epsilon carried a poster that read “Be Bold, Be Strong, Take Action” and wore T-shirts stamped TG, which stands for True Gentlemen, their motto since 1856.

“It’s a good cause. I’m really motivated,” Brandon Wilson, fraternity member, said. “It takes a true man to walk in heels in support of something like this.”

UMKC cheerleaders in powder blue uniforms, cheered as wobbly legged men passed the half-way mark. Cheerleader Mariccia Spearman said she was pleased so many men attended a march informing them of violence against women.

“To tell men the hardships women do face; (we are) targets for a lot of crime in the world,” she said.

According to the Walk a Mile Web site, www.walkamileinhershoes.com, every two minutes someone in America is raped and one in six American women are victims of sexual assault.

Frank Baird, a California-based psychotherapist, founded Walk a Mile in Her Shoes campaign in 2001 so men could help prevent sexual assault.

“Violence against women does not just affect women,” Baird said. “Men are hurt and angered when women they care about are raped. And the same violence that targets women also targets men because rape isn’t about sex. It’s about power, control and violence.”

Albert Herrera, Lambda Theta Phi fraternity member, said supporting women in Walk a Mile is one of a half-dozen other social services in which his fraternity participates.

He said his fraternity brothers voted to walk the walk, though admitted his 300-pound frame bore a special challenge in four-inch heels.

“What I go through for these women,” he joked.

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