October 31, 2020, 06:27 PM
If you've ever worn a pair of heels, you would know that walking in them is no mean feat.
That's exactly what 30 men in Singapore found out on the morning of Oct. 31, 2020, at the launch of Luxequisite's charity campaign "A Mile in Her Shoes".
The event saw them traverse a mile (or 1.6km) in pairs heels that ranged from 3.5 to five inches tall in support of the fight against domestic violence and abuse.
Participants included various notable lawyers, doctors, directors, entrepreneurs, and influencers, as well as media personalities such as Hossan Leong.
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
They started from Luxequisite's office in Republic Plaza to the Victoria Concert Hall and set off in socially distanced groups of five.
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
The campaign is a collaboration between the Singaporean jewellery retailer and fine dining restaurant Sinfonia Ristorante; the goal is to raise S$100,000 for the Association of Women for Action and Research (AWARE).
Huge spike in domestic violence since Covid-19
"We believe that bringing awareness among Singaporeans is the first step to reducing family violence against women," said Lydia Lim, founder of Luxequisite and the key organizer of "A Mile In Her Shoes".
"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.”
(L to R) Ivan Tan, Strategy & Governance Lead at Dathena; Fauzi Azzhar from SGAG; Tony Zarski, model and tech consultant; Hugo Liu, YouTube personality; and Andee Chua, model and influencer. Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
According to the campaign, AWARE has experienced a worrying 112 per cent spike in domestic violence-related calls throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Lim added that "one in 10 women in Singapore experience lifetime physical violence".
(L to R) Kevin Loo, Kelvin Tan, Ben Broughton (Founder of Unreal), and Junior Goh. Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Nonetheless, many people still have a rudimentary understanding of domestic violence, based on hazy stereotypes about physical violence, drinking problems and anger management issues, said a release by "A Mile in Her Shoes".
"Holding onto these myths can prevent many from seeking help, and it also deters friends and family from offering the appropriate support in difficult situations."
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
Image courtesy of a Mile in Her Shoes
As part of the initiative, Luxequisite will be co-designing and sponsoring a limited-edition jewellery brooch with AWARE.
Each will be sold for S$25 with all proceeds going to supporting AWARE's fight against domestic violence.
You can find more information about "A Mile in Her Shoes" or donate to the cause here.
Top image courtesy of A Mile in Her Shoes
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