In 1989, two young women from Appalachian State University were abducted and raped by the same man. One died. One survived. Although the events took place off campus, the Walk for Awareness began as a campus response to their experience. Since then, each September, students, faculty and staff walk silently as a community to commemorate lives lost to violence, to support victims and survivors of violence, and to commit to speaking out against violence in all forms. More than 2,000 people usually participate.