People strut their stuff for YWCA’s Walk A Mile in Their Shoes

People teeter by in red high-heeled shoes in support of survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence.

The YWCA Regina’s annual Walk A Mile in Their Shoes brought over 260 walkers through the doors of the new kikakihtânaw Centre on Thursday. The event, raising money to fund domestic violence and sexual violence programming, reeled in over $60,000.

According to a 2022 Statistics Canada report, Saskatchewan has the worst rates of intimate partner and family violence among Canadians.

Walkers set out in high heels and red ribbons in support of survivors of domestic violence. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)

Melissa Coomber-Bendtsen, the CEO for the YWCA Regina, said each year intimate partner violence statistics change very little in the province – which is why the event is so important.

“While it feels like every year we are doing it, and maybe things haven’t changed, we have seen some movement,” she said. “We’ve seen additional beds, we’ve seen additional education programs being implemented, we’ve seen funding for second stage housing come through our government.”

Much of the funding goes towards the YWCA’s Isabelle Johnson Shelter, a place where women can go to escape situations of domestic violence.

The event raised over $60,000 this year. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)

Some of the money will also help some of the wrap around supports, the like the YWCA’s programs to help children exposed to violence and secondary housing.

“Those wrap around programs, those connections to healing, to support, to elders, to programming that goes beyond just the shelter stay, is incredibly important,” said Coomber-Bendtsen.

Coomber-Bendtsen said the YWCA works very closely with other organizations in the province in case a client needs to be transferred out of a certain community.

“The awareness around what domestic violence looks like in our community, the understanding and prevalence of it is still something very relevant to talk about,” she said.

Walkers rest their feet before the strut around the block. (Gillian Massie/ 980 CJME)