It was a sea of red at city hall on Saturday as residents walked in support of gender-based violence as part of the YWCA Cambridge ‘Walk A Mile In Their Shoes’ fundraiser.
Originally named ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’, the YWCA changed the name to recognize the impact violence also has on 2SLGBTQ+ individuals.
Kim Decker, CEO of the YWCA Cambridge, thinks there is a better understanding of gender-based violence issues, but there is still a long way to go to bring them to an end.
“I think one of the things the pandemic did was allow us to talk more about this issue,” Decker said.
“People are talking about it more, we’re providing education but I don’t think the issue is going away. I think we’re seeing numbers greater than we’ve ever seen before but I do believe more folks are learning and taking the time to find out more.”
Mayor Kathryn McGarry and MP Bryan May, along with several councillors were on hand sporting red shoes to show their support.
The funds raised through the event help provide free programming for women, children and gender diverse individuals who are facing increased marginalization, isolation and are at an increased risk of violence in their home.
