Men and women in every kind of footwear imaginable strutted down Concord’s Main Street on Wednesday.
The crowd was there not for fashion but to stand in solidarity with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Hosted by the Thrive Survivor Support Center, the 12th annual Walk a Mile in Their Shoes event saw scores of walkers sporting six-inch heels, rainbow platforms, sneakers and more.
While the atmosphere was lively, the heart of the event was deeply sobering.
Every year, several people in New Hampshire lose their lives to domestic violence, usually women. In 2024, the New Hampshire Department of Justice recorded nine domestic violence homicides, down from 14 in 2023.
The impact of domestic and sexual violence reaches far beyond these deaths. Survivors are forced to rebuild their lives from scratch, leaving their homes, seeking shelter in group facilities and learning to navigate the legal system.
All of the money raised by the walk goes toward Thrive, which operates a 24-hour support hotline, provides legal help to survivors navigating the court system, offers secure housing for victims fleeing abusive situations and invests in education and outreach around domestic and sexual violence prevention.
