More than 600 community members came together in front of the Statehouse on Saturday to raise money and walk a mile in support of victims of sexual assault. Both men and women were seen wearing high heels during the walk to overcome gender biases and show allyship.
The walk was organized by Pathways to Healing, a confidential nonprofit support center serving five counties throughout the Midlands area.
“We serve survivors of sexual assault, even if the assault happened years ago," Rebecca Lorick, executive director of Pathways to Healing, said. "We’re here to support them with counseling.”
Jill Dudley, who was crowned Miss South Carolina in June 2022, attended the walk and shared her personal experiences with sexual assault. Dudley said that as a rape survivor, Pathways to Healing is a cause that hits close to home.
“I’m here to walk not only for myself, but to walk for other survivors and to make them understand and know that they’re not alone, it was never their fault, and that I’m here to continue to support them,” Dudley said.
According to Lorick, the organization takes measures to educate the community about sexual assault.
“A lot of people just react, and we want to be proactive to end sexual assault before it even occurs,” Lorick said.
Pathways to Healing also goes to schools to teach children about the importance of healthy relationships, boundaries and trusted adults.
“I believe in educating kids and families and anyone who will listen,” Micah Yaun, a previous staff member at Pathways to Healing, said.
In addition to this event, Pathways to Healing hosts a virtual ‘hundred men campaign’ with the goal of raising $100 for men to get involved and spread awareness of the cause.
“I think it's important for men to be here because men also get sexually assaulted and get sexually abused,” Yaun said.
Students and student-athletes from USC were in attendance at the walk to show their support.
Ellie Ruprich, a third-year finance student at USC and member of the Gamecock volleyball team, came to the event with her teammates to support the cause.
“We feel as student-athletes, we can have our bigger platform promote a cause that is supporting college students as well as just the community in general,” Ruprich said.
Additionally, Pathways to Healing received support from USC starting quarterback Spencer Rattler on his social media accounts.
“That was amazing, to have (Spencer Rattler’s) support on social media. He gave us a shout-out and invited everyone to the walk," Lorick said.
Since January, Lorick said the organization has raised more than 91,000 with the help of the Columbia community.
According to Lorick, Pathways to Healing's main goal is to end sexual assault before it happens. The organization aims to also help the survivors by letting them choose what counseling services they prefer or any type of action they would like to take, putting the power back into the hands of the survivor, Lorick said.
Ruprich said that for anyone who is experiencing sexual assault, there will be people ready to help whenever the person is ready to reach out.
"They should know that they are not alone, that there is support," Ruprich said. "And there's all these people here, supporting this cause, and so many people that believe in what they're saying."
If you or anyone you know is in need of further support, Pathways to Healing can be reached through it's 24-hour hotline or at its office Forest Acres.