Students walk against sexual assault
As the red high heels slowly began to create blisters and discomfort, males at Texas A&M University- Kingsville (TAMUK) put aside their aching pains and remained determined.
With every step taken, TAMUK students put themselves in the shoes of a survivor and gained a new perspective on those experiencing gender-based violence.
The annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event is aimed to acknowledge and support women who are victims of gender violence.
Some have survived rape, sexual harassment, stalking and other forms of violence that target females and girls. Dean of Student Well-Being Jo Elda Castillo-Alaniz spoke about the importance and history of the event.
“The whole purpose of this movement is to have an understanding and to remember sexual assault…Gender violence has to end…You [participants] are the next generation and have to realize [sexual assault] must end,” Castillo-Alaniz said.
During the walk, males were provided red high-heel shoes to actively confront gender stereotypes and encourage self-reflection.
The event was made possible by TAMUK Student Health and Wellness, PEP Talk, Delta Chi fraternity and Student Government Association (SGA).
Eli Garces, who is actively involved in PEP Talk and SGA, advocated for TAMUK’s SGA to sponsor the event to raise awareness and help inform the community about the available resources for victims.
“The reason why I sponsored this event is because I am a part of TAMUK PEP Talk, and I believe that the things that we do are very important. Sexual assault happens to both men and women; it happens, but we’re here to support,” Garces said.
Datavion Lott led the march around campus and began the following chants “No means no,” “Girl…power” and “We believe; you are not alone.”
As Lott’s voice echoed through the surrounding buildings the supporters following the participants in high-heels felt an overwhelming wave of support. Jamie Sanchez, a supporter of the event, said it was amazing to see the males of TAMUK willingly educating themselves on the issue.After Lott led the march, he gave his perspective on how the event engraved the severity of gender violence within him.
“My body is definitely aching but it feels good to be able to put myself in women’s shoes to see what they go through…Everything may seem okay. You might see someone smiling, but you don’t really know what they’re going through until you put yourself in their shoes,” Lott said.
While the event did raise many eyebrows it also raised awareness on the serious aftermath of the many challenges females face. Many members of Delta Chi showed their ongoing support for TAMUK females by participating in the event, including member Justine Calderon
“We [Delta Chi fraternity] do a lot of community service. One of our service events is to come out to ‘Walk a Mile in her Shoes’ to spread awareness to the sexual misconduct and assault against women,” Calderon said.
If you are experiencing sexual violence, call 911, the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or Student Health and Wellness at 361-593-3991to speak about available options and resources.