Walking in high heels isn’t the easiest, especially if you’re wearing them for the first time. On Oct 31, however, a group of men gamely took on the challenge by literally walking in women’s shoes to show solidarity and support for a campaign against domestic violence and abuse.
The fundraising event, A Mile In Her Shoes, was a collaborative effort between jewellery store Luxequisite together with fine-dining restaurant, Sinfonia Ristorante. Through this initiative, they hope to raise $100,000 for the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE).
The event saw the men, including various notable lawyers, doctors, directors, entrepreneurs, and influencers, as well as media personalities such as actor Hossan Leong strut a mile (about 1.6km) in high heels of above 3.5 inches. The walk took the participants from Luxequisite’s office in Republic Plaza to the Victoria Concert Hall.
For one of the participants, managing director of CHP Law, Mr Christopher Huang, it was his first time in heels. He told The New Paper prior to the event, “(Domestic violence) is something that often goes unsaid, and the cases in Singapore are grossly under reported because I’m sure there are many who suffer in silence.”
In fact, domestic violence in Singapore is reported to have seen a troubling 112% spike throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. With social distancing measures in place to curb the spread of the virus, victims are often trapped at home with their abusers.
Lydia Lim, founder of Luxequisite and key organiser of A Mile In Her Shoes, said, “One in 10 women in Singapore experience lifetime physical violence. Ending the harm and stigma of domestic violence requires a nuanced understanding of the behaviours that define it. We believe that bringing awareness among Singaporeans is the first step to reducing family violence against women. With more of us coming together to act against these pressing issues, this will bring us closer to challenge attitudes about gender roles and expectations at home.”
As part of this initiative, Luxequisite will also be co-designing and sponsoring a limited-edition jewellery brooch with the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE). Each will be sold at a retail price of $25 on luxequisite.com, with all proceeds donated in support of AWARE in their fight against domestic violence. You can also make your contributions through the awareness campaign link at Giving.sg.