FAIRFIELD, CT – Last year, Fairfield Police Chief Gary Mac Namara walked through the center of town in a gorgeous pair of sparkly red pumps. Why? To focus attention on domestic and sexual violence at Walk A Mile In Her Shoes.
The event returns May 3, and is sponsored by The Center for Family Justice's White Ribbon Campaign and the Fairfield Police Department. MacNamara is once again chairing the event, and is hoping that at least 500 men, women and children take to the streets and join him at the Walk, which is free and open to everyone.
"Last year's event was a huge success, and everyone agreed that it should become an annual way to get the word out that violence against women must end," Chief MacNamara says.
The Chief is chairman of The Center's White Ribbon campaign, an initiative that encourages men to pledge their support to end domestic and sexual violence. "If through the event we are able to stop just one act of violence against women, we are taking steps in the right direction. Women and children are encouraged to join in as well. Together, we can stamp out violence," he said.
Registration can be done the day of the event or before May 3 at www.CenterForFamilyJustice.org, which also includes directions on how to create individual and team/family pledge sheets. Event registration begins at 8:30 a.m., May 3, at 1720 Post Road, Fairfield, next to Starbuck's. Free parking is available at the Fairfield Train Station. The Walk begins at 9 a.m.; the route follows the Post Road to the Old Post Road, and ends at the Town Hall Green with refreshments, speakers, music and activities for the kids.
Last year, participants came from all over Connecticut, including the six towns The Center serves: Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. All participants are encouraged to form teams. Prizes will be awarded for:
Most creative T-shirt (family/team and individual awards)
Most creative shoes (individual award)
Most creative signs (family/team and individual awards)
Best social media post (family/team and individual awards)
Biggest fundraisers (family/team and individual awards)
Biggest team/family
Before the walk, any man or boy can join the White Ribbon Campaign on www.cwfefc.org. The pledge is prominently displayed on the right side of The Center's home page.
WRC is the largest effort in the world of men working to end violence against women. In 1991 a handful of men in Canada decided they had a responsibility to urge men to speak out about violence against women after the Montreal massacre on Dec. 6, 1989 when 14 female students at the Ecole Polytechnique were killed by a lone gunman.
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR FAMILY JUSTICE
The Center for Family Justice Inc. (formerly The Center for Women and Families of Eastern Fairfield County Inc.), brings all domestic and sexual violence and child abuse services – crisis intervention, police, prosecutors, civil/legal providers, counseling – under one roof, in our headquarters in Bridgeport, CT. Together, we work to break the cycle of violence by helping those in crisis restore their lives. Although our name has changed, we continue with the work we have provided for 12 decades, providing free, confidential, bilingual crisis services in Bridgeport, Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford and Trumbull. It is the comprehensive services our partners are providing that are streamlining the road to healing and self-sufficiency.
The Center answers more than 2,000 calls on a 24-hour crisis hotline; assists with the civil and criminal court processes for more than 3,000 survivors of domestic violence; responds to more than 300 survivors of sexual assault and their families; provides a safe home for more than 100 women and children fleeing domestic abuse; and coordinates the investigations of more than 100 cases of child sexual and severe physical abuse, developing service plans for the young survivors and their families.
Additionally, The Center educates the community to prevent future abuse. Annually, we teach more than 5,000 children, teens and the general public on how to stop bullying, build healthy relationships, and how to prevent domestic and sexual violence from occurring.
For more information, visit www.CenterForFamilyJustice.org.