On Sunday, Oct. 9, Alpha Chi Omega sorority hosted their philanthropy event, "Walk A Mile In Her Shoes," where men walk a mile in red high heels to raise awareness for domestic violence.

Farr, their guest speaker, spoke about her journey through surviving physical abuse after the mile long walk. 

"When I was a victim of physical abuse for the first time, it was pretty bad. ... He punched me, threw me up against the wall, threw me on the bed," Farr said. "I went back into the bedroom to show the officer where it all had taken place and there was a clump of hair on the pillow on the floor."

MSU mechanical engineering senior Trevor Ploucha participated in the event to help bring awareness of the issues women face on a daily basis, he said. 

"I still have blisters on my toes," Ploucha said. "Yet this compares nothing in magnitude to the both physical and emotional scars that victims of domestic violence have to carry with them throughout the rest of their life."

Ploucha and other participants walked a mile down Burcham Road.

"This was my first time ever participating in 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' and I will say, though the event was a fun experience, the event continued to open my eyes," Ploucha said. "It's quite interesting that walking just a mile in high heels left me with some injuries." 

Mackenzie Leigh, Alpha Chi Omega philanthropy chair, said that "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" was established to show men what woman face on a daily basis. 

"The event is open to the public so anyone can participate," Leigh said. "Alpha Chi Omega has done 'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' for the past four years now." 

"Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" has taken place annually in October, as October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Last year Alpha Chi Omega raised $3,000 for MSU Safe Place, where Farr also used to work. 

"Victims of domestic abuse can go to MSU Safe Place, it's a safe haven for them," Leigh said. "They give you clothes, a place to stay and support." 

Farr hoped to empower woman as she delivered her personal journey of domestic abuse to participants at Sunday's event. 

"I consoled my biological male figure because I saw him as weak and my mom as the strong one," Farr said. "But I didn't understand why I was doing that until I became a victim myself and was enabling my abusers and comforting them for abusing me." 

Farr spoke to express the importance of understanding victims of domestic abuse relationships and to bring awareness to the MSU community, she said. 

"Just because I'm a probations officer and I teach self defense does not mean a strong woman like me cannot be a victim of abuse," Farr said. "I wanted them to understand that victims are the product of their environment sometimes." 

Victims can come from all walks of life, Farr said. "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes" showed participants a short glimpse of the pain that some women are scarred with for life. 

"I was embarrassed by it. ... I didn't want to tell people I was being beaten at home or threatened or almost ran over by my own car," Farr said. "We shouldn't be made to feel embarrassed by this, they should be embarrassed. Let's show these abusers that it's not okay and it's not going to fly anymore."