Walk a Mile in Her Shoes sheds light on domestic violence

By Lauren McDonald lmcdonald@thebrunswicknews.com

The Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event ended as a speedy shuffle across the finish line for many of the participants wearing large red high heels in support of the day’s mission.

College of Coastal Georgia hosted its third annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event Wednesday to bring awareness to sexual violence and in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month this October.

“Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is a powerful way for us to bring awareness and to rally the community on the serious effects of domestic and sexual violence,” said Michelle Johnston, president of CCGA. “We honor those who have lost their lives and those who are survivors of domestic violence today.”

The event included remarks from Dottie Bromley, executive director of the Glynn Community Crisis Center, which operates Glynn County’s domestic violence shelter, Amity House. The names of 142 people who died due to domestic violence in Georgia in 2022 were also read aloud, and 142 pinwheels were placed around the college campus marking the path for the event’s concluding march.

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an international campaign that raises awareness of gender violence. Its trademark component is the walk men and women take together in solidarity to end this violence, and the men don red heels in a show of support.

Alec Eaton, emergency management coordinator for the Brunswick Fire Department, was among the men who put on heels and walked the mile around CCGA’s campus. He said he had to learn quickly how to balance, and by the end his feet were numb, but it was for an importance cause.

“It supports a lot of people — women and men who have gone through very hard situations,” he said.

Others walking in the march included CCGA police, staff and students as well as local law enforcement, city officials and other community supporters.

Charmaine Thomas was among the volunteers manning tables with information about local resources. Thomas, client services manager at Amity House, said she’s glad to see the event incorporate a vigil this year for the lives lost due to domestic violence. The goal is to shed more light on this issue, she added.

“We know it’s happening, but it’s not getting out there because of the stigma and because people are embarrassed or shamed,” she said. “I think if we have more support from the community, we’ll have more people come forward and get the help that they need.”

Photos by Terry Dickson. Republished with the permission of The Brunswick News. Originally published in The Brunswick News.