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April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, as well as Child Abuse Awareness Month. Often, the two go hand in hand.

This week in Smith County, two men are on trial — both for allegedly sexually assaulting young children.

While a Lindale man is accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl, a Tyler man is charged with sexually assaulting and exploiting four children, who allegedly were taught and forced to dance and perform sexual acts at a “Mineola Swinger’s Club.” Both men face up to life in prison because the children were all younger than 14.

Kids are sexually and physically abused every day. But the public often doesn’t hear about the powerless victims.

Local organizations that help victims of assaults and abuse are gearing up for events scheduled in Smith County to highlight awareness. And The University of Texas at Tyler will hold a new event — “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” — a walk to create awareness and support and to raise funds for sexual assault victims.

Pat Goodson, a child therapist at East Texas Crisis Center, said their organization will step up their efforts to highlight Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

All month, the organization that serves Smith, Henderson, Wood and Van Zandt counties will decorate police cars with teal ribbons and will pass out the ribbons to anyone in the community who wants to support the cause and raise awareness, Ms. Goodson said.

In Smith County, the organization will hold the annual Hope Awards, honors given to those who work with sexual assault victims. The ceremony will be held at the Tyler Public Library at 1 p.m. on April 2.

All of the counties will be holding candlelight vigils and having proclamations read by officials in honor of sexual assault victims, she said. And all counties will provide special training to those who work with the victims.

The Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month day of action will be observed on April 3, which will be used to focus on prevention.

UT TYLER

The University of Texas at Tyler is putting on “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes,” to raise awareness about sexual assault and raise funds for the East Texas Crisis Center and C.A.R.E., a student organization.

The first ever “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault & Gender Violence” will take place April 12 on the UT Tyler campus.

Men will be asked to literally walk one mile in women’s shoes — whether it be high heels or flats — to understand and appreciate women’s experiences, to change perspectives, help improve gender relationships and decrease the potential for violence, according to the UT-Tyler Web site www.uttyler.edu.

The event planners are asking community businesses, organizations or individuals to form a team to walk and raise funds. The walk is open to men and woman but UT Tyler is encouraging teams to have as many male participants as possible.

The event is being coordinated by the student organization C.A.R.E. and the Wellness and the Prevention Education Office. C.A.R.E. students are part of the Campus Assault Response Effort, a proactive program that includes aggressive ongoing education/prevention efforts for students, faculty, and staff as well as coordinated intervention efforts in the event of a sexual assault.

The Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County will focus its efforts on child abuse.

April 2 is “Go Blue Day,” when everyone in the nation will be asked to wear blue or sport blue ribbons to raise awareness of child abuse.

On April 9, the CAC will join several other organizations at the Smith County Courthouse. Smith County Judge Joel Baker will sign a proclamation that April is Child Abuse Awareness Month. Shoes will be placed on the courthouse symbolizing this year’s theme — “You can’t walk away from child abuse,” said Jessica Willett, developmental coordinator for the CAC.

On April 19, all organizations dealing with children will take part in the Kid’s Fest, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Broadway Square Mall. Ms. Willett said the free activities will include fingerprinting and face painting.

All kids and adults should attend the April events. Even if they’ve never been involved with a victim of abuse, by showing their support, they can help the victims who need it the most.