Patrick Lawless pivoted and struck out a hip to shrill cheers.

He grinned and lifted his shoe, plastered with glitter and a fat flower and boasting a few solid inches of heel.

"I believe these were margarita-induced decorations," said Lawless, Spirit Lake police chief, emphasizing that the accessories weren't his idea.

Anyone can wear them, but it takes a real man to truly work a pair of heels.

The hardy men of Kootenai County displayed their stoicism on Saturday morning at the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes march at Higgens Point, where they donned women's towering footwear to raise money for women's crisis services and domestic violence shelters.

The menfolk who turned out complacently accepted joshing about their footwear. Most spoke of their hopes to make a dent in what is becoming a severe regional issue.

"You do the job long enough and you respond to calls where you see women very battered, who will be affected forever," Lawless said.

Friends of his from Child Protection Services affirmed that many local women are suffering from domestic violence.

"It's hurtful for the family as a whole," said Coeur d'Alene social worker Nicole Kostka, adding that children are often forgotten in such circumstances.

It's easy to feel helpless, added social worker Christina McNutt.

"It's really hard to get people resources," she said of women who flee violent relationships. "Especially the women. They have to do all the work. She's the one who becomes homeless. She's the one who has to sign up for food stamps."

Jeff Block of Coeur d'Alene was still getting used to the heels volunteers provided before the march.

Despite the discomfort of his toes, he said, he was eager to join in, as he has friends and distant relatives who have suffered from abusive relationships.

"If you know people personally as I do, it becomes very clear, and it's just shocking," Block said. "People try to hide it, mask it."

The 10th anniversary of the International Men's March, Saturday's event was intended to rally men's support for women in need, said Kacie Zimmerman with North Idaho Violence Prevention Center.

It also ties into a new program of the nonprofits that involves men mentoring boys on healthy relationships, she added.

"It's about respect, pretty much," she said.

NIVPC has observed a spike in domestic violence recently, Zimmerman added, which she attributes to the stress of the economy.

"Our shelter has been at full capacity for the last two months," she said. "I know we've been transferring people out."

Proceeds from the march's registration will be divided between the Post Falls Police victim services unit and NIVPC.

NIVPC, previously the Women's Center, provides domestic violence shelter, as well as crisis counseling, court advocacy and teen education.

It also operates a sexual assault/rape crisis line: 661-2522.

The march wasn't just for dollars, Zimmerman added, but to remind women in the area that they have a place to turn for help.

"So they do know they have resources they can get to," she said.

Coeur d'Alene Police Chief Wayne Longo was getting a feel for his golden heels as he waited for the march to start.

He'll do anything, he said, to raise awareness about violence against women.

"We deal with this on a firsthand basis," said Longo, dressed in his uniform. "We are the first responders, we see the violence of sexual assault. Anything we can do to help with awareness and a little bit of fundraising is fantastic."

At least the heels matched his uniform, he added.

"I feel my toes going numb already," he said. "I totally admire women for being able to do this."