DeKALB – From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Safe Passage will host its annual Walk A Mile event at the NIU Convocation Center located at 1525 W. Lincoln Highway, for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

The walk will start at 11 a.m. and doors to the Convocation Center will open at 10:30 a.m. Event participants will walk one mile in high heels to help bring awareness to victims of sexual assault and abuse. 

Shyana Smith, The prevention specialist and PAIP Facilitator at Safe Passage said the main point of the event is to walk — wearing heels is optional. 

“The main component of the event is the walk. People can choose to wear heels or not that is just sort of like the symbol of this event. But it’s all about just being there in solidarity, raising awareness. So heels are optional,”said Smith.

Smith said there are multiple group collaborating with them at the event.

“Insomnia Cookies will have a table. They’re donating their time and cookies to this event. Laura from the mobility clinic, Wellness Mobility, is going to be there to help facilitate group stretching and individual stretching after the event, “ Smith said.” There is going to be informational materials about Safe Passages services. So have a table with swag and our brochures and just education for people attending if they want to know more about how to get involved with the passage, or if they or someone they know would like to get services.”

Kirsti McNeece, a marketing & communications specialist at Safe Passage said since 2001 the international march has become more well-known.

“It’s an opportunity to raise awareness in the community about, like, the serious causes, effects and remediations to sexualized violence. So what we like to say is there’s an old saying that you can’t understand a person’s experience until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes,” McNeece said. ”So to get people listening, learning and talking about sexualized violence, we run or walk a mile in their shoes to get people literally walking around one mile in high heels and it’s not easy, but it’s an experience around which a lot of education, self reflection and change happens.”

Registration and payment for Walk A Mile will begin at Saturday’s event. The registration fee for the event is $25.

The money raised will go to Safe Passage, DeKalb County’s only sexual assault crisis center.

Tickets are available through the Safe Passage website. 

More information about the event is available at the Safe Passage website or call their business line at 815-756-7930