Exchanging sneakers for heels, students will participate in the third annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, a playful way to raise awareness about the serious issues of rape, sexual violence and gender discrimination, at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 25.

The Marshall University campus is susceptible to rape, sexual assault and gender violence, said Logan Adkins, president of the Interfraternity Council and junior accounting major, so Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an opportunity for men to raise awareness on campus about the serious causes and effects of violence against women.

“It’s really important because of course each of us have had friends and family that have been affected by rape and gender violence,” Adkins said. 

Zach Smith, programming director of the Interfraternity Council, said because sexual violence and assault often occur on college campuses, the walk will be a great opportunity to educate students. 

To educate students, Smith said he, representatives of the mayor’s office, Student Body President Hunter Barclay and Nick Wright, director of fraternity and sorority life, will be giving their stance on violence against women. 

Before the walk, all sorority and fraternity chapters are invited to table at the event to give their stance on violence against women, starting at 1 p.m. until 2 p.m., and the mayor’s office will give its proclamation at 2:30 p.m. The walk itself will begin at 3 p.m.

The event is open to the public, but Adkins said he hopes there is a strong fraternity member presence to show they condemn violence against women. 

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes will start on the Memorial Student Center plaza, cut through the center of campus and will end back at the plaza, Smith said. 

Although participants do not have to wear heels to participate, Smith said it is highly encouraged.

“There’s also an old saying that says you really can’t understand a person’s experience and the things they have gone through until you walk a mile in their shoes,” Adkins said. “So I think this event is really good for our campus for that reason.”

Paige Leonard can be contacted at  [email protected].