By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
October is domestic violence awareness month, and during the month the YWCA will provide a unique and harrowing immersive experience.
An event titled In Her Shoes will place participants in the shoes of a domestic violence victim to help understand the challenges victims face.
YWCA Survivor Outreach Specialist Corina Merritt says when people come into the experience, they will be given a character card.
"You may have children, and if that’s the case you’ll have some baby dolls that you carry with you, everybody gets a suitcase, and you go to different stations, they might represent the police station, the shelter, going back home, going to family,” Merritt tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. “And as you go to each of these stations, you’re presented with different scenarios that make it challenging, you may go to the shelter station and we’re full we can’t help you, so then you have to decide where to go next.”
Merritt says the experience shows people why when victims are trying to get out of situations how challenging it can be. She adds the goal of the event is to help raise awareness
"To help people understand, to maybe have some more compassion and patience, and be more willing to help people that are in these situations,” Merritt says. “This is not an individual situation, domestic violence is a family and community problem, it causes businesses to lose employees, have them miss work, it causes babysitting issues, I could go on the list is forever long of the issues it causes.”
Merritt says people react strongly to this event, and recalls a group of social work students from Missouri Western participating last year
"The look on their faces maybe when they couldn’t make the choice that they wanted to at whatever station they were at, or they just couldn't believe some of the things that they were faced against,” Merritt explains. “And this simulation goes as far as if somebody makes, I don’t want to say the right decision, but if you make the decision you’ll go to a place where you actually end up dying, and when that happens everybody in the room gets quiet and we read a very impactful poem.”
The event will be held October 3rd, 17th and 24th. Sessions are available between 11:30am and 1pm or 5 to 6:30pm. You can contact Merritt for more information.