Every two minutes somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted and approximately 60 percent of rape victims know their assailant.
Samantha Church, a 2009 USI graduate, did. She was raped at a party by a close friend’s roommate in 2005.
A crowd of men in high heels showed their support for Church and other victims of rape, sexual assault and gender violence on Tuesday in “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes”.
The primary goal of the mile-long trek around the quad was to raise awareness throughout the community.
Many women blame themselves for their rape, at times because people in their lives blame them, too.
“Some people told me it was really just rough sex and that I would learn to enjoy it,” Church said.
Church went with a close male friend after drinking a little too much one night.
He left to check on a few other friends at a party when his roommate came in and found Church passed out on his bed.
“I hurt so bad when I woke up,” Church said.
Not knowing what happened, she eventually went to the hospital where she had a rape kit performed on her.
Her close male friend brought evidence of the sheets and took his roommate to the police station where he confessed to the rape.
She had to go to court to prove to others that she was indeed sexually assaulted.
Church’s father did not speak to her for a couple months, and he continues to avoid talking about it today.
But everyone is different, and no story is exactly the same, Church said.
For Church, she needed a male figure to support her.
Important male figures in the Evansville community showed up in heels to support the cause.
“We come out here as law enforcement and civic leaders to let people have a good time, and poke a little fun at us and see something out of the normal, but at the same time raise awareness for what’s some pretty important information,” Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams said.
When the walk began, people randomly placed throughout the crowd held signs which stated facts about rape, sexual assault and gender violence.
Several men wearing high heels complained about walking in women’s shoes.
Some women gave advice.
“Walk on your toes.”
After finishing the walk, the crowd was offered to sign a pledge to show the support of stopping sexual violence against women.
Brandi Watson, sexual assault program coordinator at Albion Fellows Bacon Center, emphasized that men are often the perpetrators in these instances, but the majority of men as a whole are not violent towards women. They can help fight it.
“This (event) gives them (men) active participation in the protest of rape,” Watson said. “It is not an issue just women alone can resolve.”