By Alana Mitchelson
A PAKENHAM auctioneer wore towering stiletto heels during an auction over the weekend to raise awareness for the upcoming Walk a Mile in Their Shoes march against domestic violence.
Harcourts auctioneer Jason Scott balanced in snug-fitting heels at a Pakenham auction on Saturday 27 August as another means of raising funds for White Ribbon’s Breaking the Silence program.
The company will be taking part in the Walk a Mile in Their Shoes high-heeled march on Friday 2 September in Melbourne which is aimed at creating generational change in attitudes toward violence.
Reported family violence incidents jumped 23 per cent in Cardinia shire between October 2014 and September 2015, compared with the previous 12-month period.
Over five years since 2010-11, the rate of violence reported to police in Cardinia shire has doubled.
Harcourts Pakenham team director Tain Bartholomew said the campaign was a different way of starting the difficult conversation about a sensitive issue such as domestic violence.
“It’s all about getting the message out to families,” he said.
“The boys will be there, all wearing the heels. It’s extremely difficult to find men’s sized high heels, so it’s pretty tight on our footsies!
“It’s pretty funny and pretty embarrassing at the time but this cause means so much to us.
“We’ve done this for the past four years and it’s great.
“You see blokes from all different walks of life – tradies, lawyers, cafe staff – and all ages too. There are gentlemen aged up to their 60s walking around in heels.
“It reminds you that this is an issue that can affect anybody.”
The company has already raised more than $47,000 and has a target of $100,000.
For more information, visit www.mycause.com.au/events/WalkAMileInTheirShoes.
Anyone experiencing family violence is urged to seek help by contacting the Cardinia Family Violence policing unit on 5945 2500.
