Since 1987, October has been recognized as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every year, across the country, shelter workers and advocates unite with survivors and supporters to discuss progress and issues surrounding domestic violence, remember those whose lives have been lost and celebrate the spirit of survivors.
Here in Lincoln County, Help End Abuse for Life (HEAL), the mother organization of The Nest domestic violence shelter, uses October to extend its outreach and education efforts.
One of the upcoming efforts will be an event during the Aspenfest Parade on Saturday, October 5, at 10 a.m. Male members of the HEAL board of directors, along with several local male volunteers, will don red high heels to literally walk a mile in women’s shoes. HEAL will also have a float in the parade.
While the walk has a fun appeal, it serves as an important reminder, both for the participants and for giddy onlookers, that putting ourselves into others’ shoes is crucial to our ability to understand, empathize with, and help others. Though wearing pumps and walking down Sudderth Drive is only the tip of the iceberg of the experiences of women, even a light-hearted stroll can begin to open minds and reveal truths.
The lessons that the HEAL staff and board seek to teach are around gender-based violence, discrimination and inequality that fuel domestic violence. Examples of these issues include the depiction of both men and women in entertainment, wage and opportunity gaps, a lack of access to adequate healthcare and hostility toward women who step outside the boundaries of social expectations.
Walking in a woman’s shoes is a way to take a moment to recognize the struggles of women everywhere. By calling attention to these issues, and discussing how they create and complicate abusive situations, the community can step forward and take a powerful stand against violence. Though Lincoln County is small, it is the county with the second-worst rate of domestic violence, with New Mexico ranking in the top three of all states in the USA. This community has already taken the opportunity and responsibility to change those statistics by demanding the Nest be opened to assist survivors of domestic violence.
Any community members interested in making a change can do so by attending the Aspenfest Parade and cheering loudly for the brave men who will be taking a stand with the HEAL float. Men may join the march by calling The Nest at 575-378-6378. The community also is invited to join HEAL and The Nest for its annual Empty Bowl fundraiser and soup competition on Oct. 6 at 4 p.m. at Mountain Annie’s Center for the Arts. Tickets are $15 and available at the door.