Pace’s Pi Lambda Phi (PLP) chapter hosted their first “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against women and to increase gender equality and raise awareness of issues such as sexual assault and domestic violence.

The fraternity raised more than $200 for Hope’s Door, a local charity for women and children affected by domestic violence, by walking around campus in high-heels. PLP brother Jonathan Vargas said that the significance of the event is for the men to try to empathize with the pain that domestic violence victims endure and the overall discrimination of women.

“We’re getting an understanding of how it is to walk in heels for long periods of time and the double standards of [the treatment of women],” said Vargas. “We’re raising money for battered women and abused children in the process.”

Domestic violence happens on college campuses, too. According to a study from the National Domestic Violence Hotline, more than half, or 57%, of all college students experience dating violence and abuse while in college. Nearly half, or 43%, of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors. These behaviors can include “physical, sexual, verbal or controlling abuse,” as well as psychological abuse and sexual coercion.

“[Domestic violence] is everywhere, it’s inside college communities nationwide and it affects men and women. We need to bring awareness to it,” Vargas said.

One PLP brother, Hugo Salazar, traveled from Adelphi University in Long Island, where the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event originated, to support the fraternity in their cause.

“Our Pi Lambda Phi chapter at Adelphi originated this event in 2010,” said Salazar. “Our mission as a fraternity is to eliminate prejudice, which is not just about race. We like to address different inequalities but not a lot was being done to help women so our brothers decided to take a step and feel that pain that these women go through in domestically abusive relationships.”

Salazar said that the lightheartedness of the event through the act of each fraternity brother wearing high-heels helps raise awareness of domestic violence in a “less awkward” manner.

“It’s a fun event that our brothers love participating in,” said Salazar. “It’s just a funny thing to watch college men walk around their campus in a ridiculous fashion. It’s a fun way to raise awareness and it’s not as stressful to talk about such a serious issue.”