DeKALB | A sea of bright red heels flooded the Convocation Center as students and supporters raised awareness about sexual assault and abuse at the second annual “Walk A Mile in Her Shoes” event. The event encouraged members of the community to show their support because April is Sexual Abuse Awareness month. Single walkers, couples and teams participated by engaging in an interactive and healthy discussion about the effects of sexual violence.

Safe Passage, the domestic violence agency and rape crisis center serving DeKalb County, hosts the event every year. They provide a wide range of services to anyone in need, including a transitional housing program and 24-hour emergency medical response, according to their website.

Participants made a $30 donation and walked eight laps around the indoor track in the Convocation Center, the equivalent of one mile. They were encouraged to bring their own high heels, but Safe Passage was prepared to lend bright red pairs to those in need at the event.

Sarah Slavenas, host of the event, said she was proud of the support and interest they received this year.

“Last year, the walk was held outside by Greek Row,” Slavenas said. “[It was] roughly 30 degrees and freezing cold. We anticipated a better turnout this year, including many walkers being from sororities and fraternities. For [next year,] we are looking to encourage sponsors to donate. We also want walk participants to encourage their families and friends to support them in walking through donations.”

Freshman education major Jorge Juarez participated in the event and sported red heels with pride as he hobbled next to his girlfriend Rebecca Stelzer, sophomore biological sciences major. Both Juarez and Stelzer said they knew victims of sexual abuse and felt the event was important and stood for something bigger.

“I wanted to see and understand the struggles that women go through,” Juarez said. ”We are all here for the same thing and come from some sort of struggle … we should support each other.”

The event promoted healthy discussion as well as providing a good laugh to the women in attendance while men stumbled around. Slavenas said she hoped the experience was both fun and informative for those in atendance and that participants would walk away with new knowledge.

“These are uncomfortable subjects, sure, but we need to be talking about them,” said junior sociology major Zoe Boynton. “It’s a less threatening way to say something that needs to be heard.”