Last Friday, the Center for Health Education and Wellness kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Month with their second annual Hike the Hill in Heels event.
Students, faculty, and staff hiked campus in high heels, starting at HSS and ending at Ayres Hall.
Ashley Blamey, director for the Center for Health Education and Wellness, explained that the center was responsible for coordinating and planning sexual assault awareness month for the campus.
“We coordinate sexual assault awareness month from our office, but it’s also in partnership with SGA, students groups, and sports teams,” Blamey said. “We just take the leadership role.”
Blamey stressed the importance of students speaking up on sexual awareness this month.
“As we begin Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we are asking all volunteers to pledge, reach out and speak up about this important issue,” Blamey said. “We raise money for the Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee, (but) the goal is also just to raise awareness about campus resources, support options and those sorts of things.”
At the end of the hike, participants were able to socialize, take photographs with a giant balloon high heel and take part in a series of competitions.
“Up at Ayers we do a runway competition, a shoe decorating competition and a competition for the largest team and most funds raised,” Blamey said.
Wilson Wade, freshman in forestry, explained why he chose to hike the hill in heels.
“The majority of this event is fun but I also think it really is important to raise awareness for sexual assault,” Wade said. “Anything to get the word out is good. I’m not an expert, but awareness can always help.”
Wade was one of over 150 participants to take part in the hike.
Craig Brooks, sophomore in kinesiology, said he participated in the event in part to support the Sexual Assault Center of East Tennessee through the Beta Theta Pi philanthropy efforts.
“I think it’s important to get the word out about his type of thing because (on campus) we get emails about stuff like this all the time and we know it’s an issue,” Brooks said. “It’s not just protecting women but men too. Everyone needs to be careful about what they’re doing in certain situations and protect themselves.”
The Center for Health Education and Wellness will be hosting events all month for sexual assault awareness.
To find out more the website is http://wellness.utk.edu/sexual-assault-awareness-month/.
Lots of donated shoes were on hand in front of Humanities and Social Sciences for participants who didn't have high heels of their own.
