The Zonta Club of St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia, in partnership with Mutual Ground and the Community Crisis Center, is holding a free domestic violence awareness event Tuesday called “In Her Shoes.”

“In Her Shoes” is an interactive program, during which participants receive an identity and proceed through actual experiences of a real-life domestic violence victim; and helps increase awareness of the many issues impacting decisions — and why answers to “Why didn’t she just leave?” can be very complicated.

The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 21, at the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 320 Franklin Street, Geneva.

“In Her Shoes” is unique — an interactive simulation to find out exactly what a victim of domestic violence may experience while on her journey toward safety.

Representatives from systems touched by the horrors of domestic violence will be present to answer questions and share pertinent information about their role in the solution to this very real and worldwide problem. They include Kane County Judge Linda Abrahamson, Prairie State Legal Services Managing Attorney Kathy Bettcher, Managing Attorney, Kane County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Branden Gentry, Elgin Community Crisis Center Abuse Intervention Program Coordinator Anna Whitmer, Mutual Ground Court Advocacy Program Coordinator Sheila Gray and retired St. Charles Police Department officer Jim Kintz.

“In Her Shoes” and Zonta have these goals:

• Increase awareness of the struggles that women in particular face when dealing with an abusive partner.
• Illustrate that domestic violence is a community tragedy, not a private problem.
• Show that we ALL have a role in the movement to end domestic violence.
• Encourage everyone to think creatively about ways we can work to end domestic violence.

Need more info? Contact Laurie Perry, Zonta SGB president, at zontaclub.sgb@outlook.com.