Walk a Mile in Their Shoes aims to stop domestic violence

The 14th annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes event took over downtown Hamilton Wednesday morning. More than 400 people slipped on a pair of red high heels to put a stop to domestic violence.

The popular event raises much needed money to help people get away from violent partners.

READ MORE: Burlington city council declares intimate partner violence an epidemic

The event raised more than $150,000 for the YWCA. Sarah Ernest from the YWCA said, “We want to ensure folks feel safe here, 100 per cent of proceeds are going to directly support YWCA programs that are supporting survivors. That’s counselling, it’s supportive housing, whatever folks need to get back on their feet.”

Raf Tomczuk is a domestic abuse survivor and has been walking in this event for over a decade, he says it can be hard for someone to leave their abuser.

“It’s very difficult to flee abusers for a variety of psychological factors. We want you to know, if need there are programs there for you and people like myself and all these beautiful Hamiltonians that are here to support you if you need help,” Tomczuk said.

READ MORE: Burlington mayor discusses domestic violence as an epidemic

Every six days a woman is killed by her partner in Canada and the average age of a woman murdered is 42. Tomczuk is a nurse in the emergency department at St. Joseph’s Hospital and says he sees the impact of domestic violence regularly.

Organizers say intimate partner violence is an epidemic and chances are you know someone who is a victim.

The City of Burlington and the Halton Region have both declared intimate partner violence and violence against women an epidemic and organizers of this event would like to see the same done in Hamilton.

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