Are you ready? It’s almost time to Walk a Mile with Blackburn Center. Our signature event, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes®, takes place each April. This walk is Westmoreland County’s opportunity to take a stand against all forms of gender-based violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. Through the Walk, we raise awareness about these important issues, as well as funds to support our work.
2023 marks our 12th annual Walk a Mile event, after a cancellation in 2020 and a virtual walk in 2021 due to COVID-19. We are thrilled to once again be coming together in person to raise our voices – and move our feet – for this vital cause.
We can’t wait to see you there!
The Details
The Walk will take place on Saturday, April 15, 2023 at St. Clair Park in Greensburg.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m., and the Walk itself will start at 10:00 a.m. You can register online or via paper registration forms in advance, or in person at St. Clair Park.
Registration for the Walk costs just $5. It is free for children under 12 years old. You can learn more about the registration process here. You can also register directly on our site, or via our fundraising site.
If you live in Western Pennsylvania, then you know that there are no guarantees when it comes to the weather in April. We have had perfectly sunny 60 degree days, clouds and rain – and even snow! We recommend that you check the forecast before heading out to St. Clair Park and dress appropriately for the weather. Rain or shine, we will walk!
Why We Walk
Gender-based violence continues to be a major problem throughout the United States – including right here in Westmoreland County. The statistics on sexual, domestic, and other forms of abuse are shocking:
1 in 4 women and 1 in 26 men have experienced completed or attempted rape in their lifetimes.
Each year, more than 10 million Americans are physically abused by an intimate partner.
In 2019 alone, 3.4 million Americans were victims of stalking.
81% of women and 43% of men have experienced some form of sexual harassment in their lifetime.
Individuals with disabilities are nearly four times as likely to be victims of violence, compared to people without disabilities.
Approximately 5 million elderly Americans have experienced a form of elder abuse.
In 2021 alone, 10,360 cases of human trafficking involving 16,710 victims were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Our annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event is a way for us to raise awareness about these and other forms of gender-based violence.
Each year, women, children and men come together to participate in the Walk. Many of our male walkers choose to wear high heels, to take an extra step in understanding what women experience every day. Walking in high heel shoes is a symbol of the difficulties and challenges that women face every day. This includes being on guard against the possibility of a sexual assault, experiencing sexual harassment, dealing with the aftermath of violence in their home, and for some, walking the path of healing following an assault.
When male walkers wear high heels at our event, we ask that they do so in the spirit of the Walk. Wearing high heels is not meant to mock women who wear high heels, to glorify masculinity, or to make a statement that only women can or should wear high heels. As an organization, we strongly affirm the right of all people to express their gender in whatever way they choose.
We also recognize that anyone can be a victim of gender-based violence. Issues such as domestic and sexual violence can affect anyone regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, or economic status. The goal of our Walk is to raise awareness about gender-based violence right here in our community, and to offer support to ALL victims and survivors.
Will You Walk with Us?
In recent years, more than 1,100 people have joined us to Walk a Mile in Her Shoes. In 2023, we hope to have more than 1,500 people participate — helping to raise awareness and support for our mission. Will you help us reach our goal?
As always, if you need help, we are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call anytime at 1-888-832-2272 to speak to a trained crisis counselor (TDD available). All calls are free of charge and can be anonymous.