Walk in Their Shoes raises $11K for Center of Sexual Assault Survivors
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) — Survivors and allies marched for the Walk in Their Shoes Saturday morning.
Hampton Mayor Donnie Tuck, alongside Hampton Police Chief Jimmie Wideman and Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew started the walk around the Peninsula Town Center.
The walk hopes to empower survivors of sexual assault and raise awareness for local resources.
Previous Coverage: Walking with sexual assault survivors ‘to show that we believe in them’
The Center for Sexual Assault Survivors offer free one-on-one and group counseling sessions, court advocacy, and a 24-hour hotline.
The sessions are for the survivors, their families and friends – who are considered secondary survivors. In the last year, there has been a rise in reported assaults from young women ranging in age from 18 to their early 20s.
This year suppporters raised $11,172 to make sure those services are free through the nonprofit organization.
“I call it a silent killer, not everyone wants to talk about or be involved in. It’s really important to bring awareness to it. It’s a generational thing that does not affect one person. It affects everyone,” said Kimberly Thomas with the Community Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS Break the Cycle: Shooting survivor shares story after 30 years
“It can be overwhelming but we do believe that there is hope and that there is help. To anyone young or old there is always an opportunity to receive resources in Hampton or Newport News,” said Keisha Williams.
This is the third year, WAVY-TV 10 has partnered with the Center. The WAVY Warriors raised about thousand dollars, with 10 On Your Side’s Kiahnna Patterson serving as the emcee.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
