Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ to be held at Prien Lake Mall - KPLC 7 News, Lake Charles, Louisiana

The following is a Press Release from Walk a Mile SWLA:

On Sept. 1 men from all walks of life will walk one mile inside Prien Lake Mall in women's high heeled shoes to protest rape, and sexual assault.

The event begins with registration at 8:00 am. This event is coordinated by the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Proceeds from sponsored walkers in the event will benefit  Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Programs in Southwest Louisiana, Oasis Sexual Violence Program (formerly Rape Crisis Outreach), and The Child Advocacy Center of the Family and Youth Counseling Agency.

WHO: Male community members and leaders will show their support of the movement to end sexual violence by marching in high heels, with women and children marching at their side. Educators, students, law enforcement officers, elected and appointed officials, and others are expected to participate.

WHEN: The march is scheduled to begin at 10:30 am with registration and check in starting at 8:00 am at Prien Lake Mall, located at 496 W. Prien Lake Rd. Men, women, and children are invited to participate and pre-registration is welcome. The registration fee is $20 per person, $15 for students, or $100 for a team with a maximum of six members. All participants registering prior to August 15, 2012 are guaranteed to receive a free event t-shirt.

"One in three women has experienced gender violence in her lifetime. A woman is raped every 90 seconds in America," said Frank Baird, Founder of the March. "That means someone you know, someone you care about has been the victim of sexual violence. This violence does not just affect women. Men are hurt and angered when women they care about are raped. And the same violence that targets women also targets men because rape isn't about sex, it's about power, control and violence." Inspired by the old saying, ‘You can't understand a person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes,' men will literally walk one mile in women's high-heeled shoes.

A Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is a multidisciplinary interagency team of individuals working collaboratively to provide services for the community by offering specialized sexual assault intervention services. The team is specialized to fit the needs of our communities and has goals of increasing reporting and conviction of sexual assaults and countering the experience of sexual trauma with a sensitive and competent response. The team consists of local key responders such as advocates, law enforcement officers, forensic examiners (SANE)), crime lab personnel, and prosecutors.

For additional information or to register please visit www.walkamileswla.org  or call (337) 494-2187. Thank you for joining the fight to end sexual and domestic violence!