A Walk in Her Shoes Addresses Florida’s Child Sexual Abuse Problem

For Lauren Book, the 1,500-mile trek she is currently leading across Florida is a journey powered by the memory of her own survival. As a survivor of child sexual abuse, Book has spent over a decade turning personal trauma into a statewide movement. As she paced herself in the scorching Miami heat to lead the walk, she noted that the public’s appetite for change is noticeably different.

“People aren't shying away from it anymore,” Book said, citing a national shift in accountability. “You have things like the Epstein files, which have people angry. They have people wanting to make a difference, wanting to activate, to have voices heard, and to see justice served. When you have things like this happen, you have to hit it fast.”

According to Rainn.Org , roughly every minute someone in the U.S is sexually assaulted, and every nine minutes a child is sexually assaulted.

Book, a former Florida State Senator from Hollywood and founder of the non-profit Lauren’s Kids, was pounding the pavement on April 3 on the 11th annual “Walk in My Shoes” campaign. The Miami walk is one leg of a 1,500-mile journey across Florida led by Book. Since 2007 the non-profit continues to push for education, prevention, and policy change while creating space for families, community members and survivors to be seen and heard.

The “Walk in My Shoes” trek is a ground-level investigation into Florida’s systemic failures as well. The walk through the Florida Keys on March 31 revealed a devastating lack of resources for survivors in Monroe County.

“We were talking to Christina’s Courage, the rape crisis program in the Keys,” Book said. “They don’t have a certified pediatric SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse in the Keys. If a child is sexually assaulted in Key West or Monroe County, they have to drive all the way to Jackson,” she added, referring to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. 

“A child under the age of 18 cannot change clothes, eat, or drink for the duration of that multi-hour transit to preserve forensic evidence. A three-year-old? A four-year-old? It’s not acceptable,” Book added. “These are the things we see now because we are on the ground, and we can go and try to get the resources to fix that.”

April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. For Book, “Walk in My Shoes" trek is more than awareness and miles logged. It is also about responding to a shifting landscape of abuse. Book points to a staggering proliferation of online-based exploitation that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We know that one in five children who touch a digital device will be solicited for sex online,” said Book as she waved and grinned at honking cars that were in solidarity with the walk…. “Law enforcement is not able to keep up with what’s happening, how it’s happening, and resources need to be allocated to ensure individuals are kept safe in the digital space as well as in the world itself .”

According to Missingkids.org, an estimated 302 million children worldwide have been victims of non-consensual taking, sharing or exposure to sexual images/videos in the past year. 

"We (Lauren’s kids non-profit) advocate for the passage of laws every year that we walk. We listen, and we get ideas. I understand childhood sexual abuse. I've lived it. I understand it,” said Book, who was decked in black trendy shades, an Alo brand hat and top that says, “Walk In My Shoes” in bold and bright text, while her son and daughter, both 9, tugged on her, demanding attention.

The start location was Kristi House, where the atmosphere was lively and welcoming.  Founded in 1995, Kristi House is responsible for coordinating the legal, medical, and social service needs of children who have experienced abuse or exploitation. Tables and tents lined up in front included informational stations hosted by both Kristi House and Lauren’s Kids, where attendees could learn more about available resources. A friendship bracelet-making station with a bunch of bright, colorful options invited participants, especially children, to create and connect. The space added a sense of warmth and community to the event, offering a moment of lightness within a day centered on a serious issue.

As the walk continued, participants moved through the streets of Miami together, drawing attention from passing drivers and pedestrians. For many, that visibility was part of the purpose.

For Selena Stanley, a 27-year-old Florida International University graduate, the walk has become a family tradition. Accompanied by her two sisters and her aunt, Stanley is now in her third year of participation. “I have family members who work with Lauren’s Kids, and every year I come out, it’s so positive,” Stanley said. “People driving or walking by us ask what we’re doing, and when we tell them, it warms their hearts. It’s a way to get the word out about a cause that is often too difficult to talk about.”

Marifel Anastacio, a nanny of two, emphasizes the importance of breaking the stigma of shame. “This walk is encouraging to people who have been abused,” Anastacio said. “They’ve been through a lot, and it’s time to let everyone know, it’s okay to tell.”

That sentiment was felt by Brittany Sixto, who was pushing a stroller and following her speedy daughter on a scooter during the walk. She is a first-time walker whose professional life revolves around the foster care system, working with organizations like 4Kids. "There could always be more people involved, of course,” Sixto said. “But it’s about letting kids know that they have a place to go, and that help really does exist.”

This year, Book also launched the Voices Project, described as “a powerful new awareness initiative dedicated to centering survivors by amplifying their voices.” As described on the website, “Through anonymous, autobiographical audio recordings, survivors are invited to share their stories and messages in their own words and in their own voices.” Book is hoping it makes tracks in new ways, beyond the walk.

“You cannot deny survivor voices,” Book said, looking out at the crowd as they finished the walk at Moore Park. “And you cannot deny the power of people advocating for things that are deeply important to them. That’s why we work as hard as we work every day.”

“Walk in Her Shoes” events organized by Lauren’s Kids will continue in locations throughout Florida until May 1.