FRANKLIN, Pa. (EYT) — PPC Violence Free Network will be hosting its fifth annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event on Sunday, April 29, at Fountain Park in Franklin.

PPC Violence Free Network and Shelter, part of the Family Service and Children’s Aid Society of Venango County, has been offering help to victims in need for over twenty years.

Founded as Victim Services in the mid-1980’s, PPC, which stands for Prevent, Protect, Change, was acquired by the Family Service and Children’s Aid Society of Venango County in 1996.

The organization’s mission is to prevent violence, protect victims, and advocate for change in attitudes about victimization by providing prevention education programs, supportive services, and by promoting social change in the community.

They work not only with victims of sexual assault and domestic violence but also the victims of other serious crimes.

Funded in part by the United Way of Venango County, PCAR (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape), and PCADV (Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence), PPC offers a wide range of services, including a 24-hour-hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, support groups, advocacy and legal assistance, victim’s compensation assistance, and even a First Response Team and Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).

PPC also offers prevention and education programs for a wide range of ages, community groups, and workplaces.

exploreVenango.com spoke to Program Director Crystal Patterson, a survivor of past domestic abuse.

Patterson talked about the organization, its current situation, and plans for the near future.

Patterson, who credits the shelter with saving her life when she was in need, says they’re currently looking to the community for some support in their time of need.

According to Patterson, the building currently being used as a shelter is over 100 years old, and the upkeep is becoming burdensome to the organization. In order to better meet the needs of those they serve, PPC plans to build a new shelter located on a 1.19-acre lot in Miller Sibley Park once occupied by the Emergency Room of the Franklin Hospital.

Building a new shelter will require more funding, which is why PPC has started a Capital Campaign, seeking donations from the surrounding community. Anyone who wishes to donate to PPC’s Capital Campaign for a new shelter can do so at the PPC website.

While the shelter and the victims’ services are two of the main focuses for PPC, education and awareness are important as well.

About the “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” Event

In that spirit, PPC will be hosting its fifth annual “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event on Sunday, April 29, at Fountain Park in Franklin.

Registration will begin at 2:30 p.m., Program Director Crystal Patterson will speak at 3:00 p.m. and the walk will begin at 4:00 p.m.

The event, held annually during Sexual Assault Awareness month, is intended to raise awareness in the community about the serious causes and effects of sexual violence against women.

According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), one in four girls and one in six boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18 years old, and one in five women and one in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives. Though anyone can become a victim of sexual violence, the overwhelming majority of survivors are women. NSVRC statistics show that 91% of the victims of rape and sexual assault are female, and 9% are male.

Programs like “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” seek to open communication about sexual violence in our communities. The event is also intended to help men better understand women’s experiences, to improve gender relations, and ultimately, to decrease the potential for violence.