MEMPHIS, TN – Men in Memphis wage war on violence – about 75 men marched Friday to call for an end to violence against women. The “Walk A Mile In Her Shoes” march arrives days after a man in South Memphis gunned down his girlfriend, and another man in the University of Memphis area fatally shot his wife and mother-in-law before turning the gun on himself.
Men who joined Friday’s march traded in their own shoes for high heels to symbolically walk a mile in the shoes of women.
“Wearing shoes that hurt really can't compare to the pain of domestic violence, but I think it's a small thing that we can do as a symbol of what we're trying to fight against,” explained Davis Bailey, associate pastor of Evergreen Presbyterian Church in Memphis. “Because men are often seen as the perpetrators of domestic violence, it’s important that men are standing up and saying we don’t condone this, and we think it’s terrible. We want it out of our city.”
Reginald Johnson, founder of the group “Boys Incorporated,” brought young men – ages 8 to 13 – to participate in the march, which also included professors, medical students, and attorneys with who handle domestic violence cases for Memphis Area Legal Services.
“I grew up in a family where my mother was abused and violated for many, many years,” Johnson said.
The suffering continues for women across Memphis and Shelby County.
"Memphis ' crime rate has started to come down, but the domestic violence rate has actually been going up,” pointed out the event’s co-organizer, Andre Fowlkes. “The time is now. There have been several incidents of domestic violence over the last week, really, this whole year so far. And I think that we have to make sure that we decrease these numbers."
The men marching said violence against women isn’t “a woman’s issue” – every woman who suffers is someone’s daughter, sister, mother, aunt, niece, or neighbor.
“I call [men] to action today - to realize that those are the mothers of our children,” Johnson said.
All the money raised from Friday's march benefits domestic violence awareness programs organized by the Memphis Area Women's Council. Marchers paid $20 to participate (students paid $10).
"It's so very important in this city that men take their part of this, and that men see other men saying this should not be tolerated,” said Deborah Clubb, executive director of the Memphis Area Women’s Council.
This is the second year a group called "Memphis Men for Memphis Women" has organized this event. Last year they raised about $2,000 with 80 participants.
Friday’s march is one of several nationwide that recognize April as National Crime Victim's Month. Other marches will be held across the country through the end of the month.
