Marshall University organizations are sponsoring Walk a Mile in Her Shoes in honor of April being Sexual Assault Awareness month.

The event is scheduled for noon April 23 on Buskirk Field. Registration is at 11:30 a.m.

People of the community can walk a mile in a pair of high-heeled shoes to march against rape and gender violence at the event.

The high-heeled shoes will be provided for this event.

According to the website of Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, “This event is a International Men’s March to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence. This is a playful opportunity for men to raise awareness within their community about the serious causes, effects and remediations to men’s sexualized violence against women.”

Marshall ROTC/Thundering Herd Battalion, Marshall University Police Department, Marshall University Women’s Center and Contact Rape Crisis Center will sponsor the event.

“It is a positive step in the right direction to defeat violence against women,” said Sgt. Scott Ballou, the lead instructor for the R.A.D. program. “It is an event to show awareness, support, violence against women hasn’t gone away but yet it is not tolerated not only here at Marshall University but in the Huntington community.”

Senior Jameson Akins said everyone should be aware of what women deal with.

“I will be walking a mile in a pair of high-heeled shoes because I think everyone needs to be aware of what women face, and I can support them by struggling to walk a mile in a pair of high-heeled shoes,” Akins said. “This event will give us men an insight of what women face when they are involved in sexualized violence.”

Ballou said he is relating the event to a personal experience.

“I know it is difficult to wear high heels,” Ballou said. “But it is neat for me to be a part of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event because my sister was a victim of sexual assault, and teaching this program for women I know I am teaching women who have been victims and survivors of sexual assault. I am teaching women to defend themselves against sexual assault, and I will be involved in this event to support those who have been victims of sexual violence.”

Erika Johnk can be contacted at [email protected].