It's unusual, to say the least, to see men walking in women's shoes, but that's just what a small group of guys did at UB on Monday.
The message to other men was clear: put yourself in the shoes of a woman who has been sexually harassed, assaulted or raped.
The "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" event was a joint effort by UB's Health Education and Human Services and Crisis Services Advocate Program to inform the public as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
It was also a call for men to stand beside women and take responsibility, maybe not as perpetrators, but for condoning the attitudes that lead to mistreatment of women in today's society.
Through the eyes of one man who walked the route along North Campus in casual feminine flats, most men have been a part of the problem without recognizing it.
"I wonder if men realize they're supporting these attitudes that lead to rape," said Chris Spicer. "We have to stop promoting these ideas that look down on women when they are our equals."
Spicer said he used to laugh along with male friends to rape jokes, and other jokes degrading to women, which are common in popular culture. Now he pledges to interrupt such jokes.
"The more I realized what was behind sexual assault, the more I realized I was a part of it," Spicer said. "Men have to step up. We've got to become part of the solution to the problem."
Spicer's job as a training and curriculum specialist at Planned Parenthood has heightened his awareness and has exposed him to women's issues.
He said he developed a sense of disgust over sexual assault and is involved in work on Planned Parenthood's Responsible Men Program for high school youth.
"I always have mixed feelings about these events, because I look out there and see mostly women," Spicer said of the low male turnout. "I want to see more men."
Out of an estimated 45 walkers, only about one of every four was a man.
"We need to experience the emotions that come with someone we love being hurt," Spicer said. "I look at it as becoming stronger in a new way."
Spicer opted out of the two-inch stiletto heels and chose a more comfortable shoe design.
"If I did heels, I'd be dead," he said jokingly. "You'd need a stretcher to get me out of here."
One walker chose a navy blue one-inch-heeled shoe supplied by Amvets and testified to his endurance on the mile-long walk.
"I thought I could have lasted longer," said Otto Muller, a third-year Ph.D. student in music. "I didn't fall down."
Muller said the "Walking a Mile in Her Shoes" event was important for men.
"It's a men's issue," Muller said, "because the perpetrators are men."
Other walkers carried signs that read, "Be Part of the Solution, End Sexual Violence," and "Rape Affects Us All."
Three women from Crisis Services carried a strung clothesline of graffiti-like t-shirts. On one t-shirt was written the following:
"You hurt so many people; my family, my friends, everyone who does or will ever love me! How could you have so much hate? How could you cause so much agony? You turned my whole life upside down."
"Survivors make the t-shirts to help them recover and gain awareness about the issue of sexual assault," said walker Rebecca Stevens.
Another shirt read, "I survived. I will go on. But I will always remember."
Anya Gonzalez, a junior international studies and political science major, said she joined the walk in honor of two friends who were raped.
"Most rapes are acquaintance rapes. Stick together, go out as a group," Gonzalez said, advising other college women. "Be careful the amount of alcohol you drink."
Robyn Wiktorski, director of Health Education and Human Services said that sexual assault awareness is vital and that college women are a target population that is vulnerable.
"I don't want it to be sort of a taboo issue," she said. "I want it to be part of the dialog here at UB."
