Published: February 6, 2025
By: Meredith Westheimer
South Florida advocate Lauren Book is trekking 1,500 miles across Florida with her non-profit Lauren’s Kids to raise awareness for child sexual abuse
This April, South Floridians will have an opportunity to advocate out loud as part of the 10th anniversary of the Lauren’s Kids “Walk in My Shoes” event – a 1,500-mile, statewide trek taking place from April 1 to 30 during National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. I had the privilege of speaking with Former Florida State Senator Lauren Book, the Founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids, to learn more about her story, the impact it has had over the years, and what participants can expect when joining the walk this year.
Lauren’s Story
Senator Lauren Book’s journey from victim to survivor and advocate is nothing short of remarkable. As a survivor of child sexual abuse, Lauren has dedicated her life to preventing abuse and helping survivors heal. “My story is one of hope and resilience,” Lauren shared. “I was abused by my nanny for six years, starting when I was just 11 years old. It was a dark and painful time, but with the support of my family and Broward County’s Nancy J. Cotterman Sexual Assault Treatment Center, I was able to heal and find my voice.”
Lauren’s experience led her to create Lauren’s Kids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit that works to prevent child sexual abuse through education and awareness and to help survivors heal with guidance and support. “I started Lauren’s Kids because I wanted to make sure that no child would ever have to go through what I did,” Lauren explained. “When I discovered that 95 percent of sexual abuse is preventable through education and awareness, I realized that this is where we could improve to prevent abuse from ever happening.”
Resources and Support from Lauren’s Kids
Lauren’s Kids offers a wide range of resources to prevent child abuse and help survivors heal. The non-profit provides educational programs for children, parents, and educators, including the Safer, Smarter Schools curriculum, which teaches children about personal safety and how to recognize and report abuse from a place of fun, not fear.
“When children know how to protect themselves, and adults know how to recognize the signs of abuse, we can prevent it from happening in the first place,” Lauren said.
The Safer, Smarter Schools curriculum is free of charge for use in public and charter schools in Florida and fulfills Erin’s Law child sexual abuse prevention program requirements. The content is designed to be age-appropriate for children from Pre-K through twelfth grade. The curriculum is taught around the nation, including here in South Florida in Broward County and Miami-Dade Public Schools. Parents and community organizations can also access this curriculum online for free. To learn more about this curriculum, visit SaferSmarterSchools.org.
Personal safety and abuse prevention resources are also available at no cost for Florida families at SaferSmarterFamilies.org.
In addition to educational materials, Lauren’s Kids offers support and resources for survivors. The Lauren’s Kids Guide to Hope & Healing provides essential information and activities to help survivors and their families navigate the healing process following a child’s disclosure of sexual abuse.
The Origins of Walk in My Shoes
The Walk in My Shoes event began as a personal healing journey for Lauren. In 2010, she decided to walk from the home where she was abused to the steps of the Historic Florida Capitol, a distance of more than 500 miles. “I wanted to take my pain and turn it into something positive,” Lauren said. “Walking was a way for me to reclaim my power and raise awareness about an issue that is often kept in the shadows.”
What started as a solitary journey quickly grew into a movement. Over the years, the walk has expanded to include thousands of participants and now spans 1,500 miles across Florida, from Key West to Tallahassee. “The walk has become a symbol of hope and healing for so many people,” Lauren noted. “It’s a way for survivors to come together, share their stories, and support one another – and for advocates, individuals, and families across our communities to pledge their support for child safety.”
As noted above, the timing of the Walk in My Shoes event is no coincidence. April is both National Sexual Assault Awareness Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month, making it a crucial time to raise awareness and advocate for change. By walking in April, Lauren’s Kids joins a larger movement to prevent abuse and support survivors.
The Impact of Walk in My Shoes
Over the past decade, the Walk in My Shoes event has had a profound impact on participants and communities across Florida. The walk has raised awareness, inspired legislative change, and provided a platform for survivors to share their stories.
One of the most significant achievements of the walk has been its role in advocating for legislative change. Since 2002, Lauren Book and her father, Ron Book, have led the charge with Lauren’s Kids to advocate for the passage of nearly two dozen legislative victories to protect Florida’s children and families from abuse and support survivors. These victories include strengthening prosecutorial authority for sex offenders, eliminating loopholes that benefited sex offenders, requiring human trafficking awareness training, and more.
“We’ve been able to pass important laws to protect children and support survivors,” said Lauren. “But there’s still so much work to be done. The walk is a reminder that we must continue to fight for change.”
Join the Walk
As the 10th anniversary of Walk in My Shoes approaches, Lauren Book and the Lauren’s Kids team invite everyone to join them in their journey. “Whether you walk with us for a block, a mile, or more, every step counts,” Lauren said. “Together, we can make a difference and create a safer world for our children.”
The Walk in My Shoes event will kick off on April 1, 2025, in Key West and will conclude in Tallahassee on April 30, 2025. Participants can join the walk at various points along the route, and there are other opportunities to get involved through making bracelets, fundraising, and spreading awareness. The walk will be in South Florida during the following days:
- April 2 – Key West
- April 3 – Homestead
- April 4 – Miami
- April 5 – Fort Lauderdale
- April 6 – Boca Raton
- April 7 – Coral Springs and Parkland
Another Way to Participate: Friendship Bracelet Project
This year, Lauren’s Kids is launching its first-ever Friendship Bracelet Project. The exchange will provide bracelet-making kits to Children’s Advocacy Centers and Sexual Assault Treatment Centers across Florida and then the Lauren’s Kids’ team will coordinate the exchange of the bracelets between the centers. The bracelets are designed to help survivors of child sexual abuse and sexual assault understand that they are never alone, symbolizing strength, hope, and healing.
In addition to the bracelets created by survivors and advocates at these programs, Lauren’s Kids is calling on the public to create and send in bracelets to its headquarters so they can distribute them to survivors during the walk. Already, scouting organizations, senior centers, and volunteer groups are getting involved. Anyone is welcome to participate by making one or multiple friendship bracelets featuring words like “Brave,” “Survivor,” “Advocate,” “Hope,” “Healing,” “SAAM” (Sexual Assault Awareness Month). Completed bracelets can be sent to Lauren’s Kids Headquarters at Lauren’s Kids, 4000 Hollywood Blvd Suite 677-S, Hollywood, FL 33021. The Lauren’s Kids team will then distribute the bracelets to survivors of child sexual abuse and sexual assault during the walk.
Lauren’s Kids Walk in My Shoes is more than just a walk; it’s a movement that brings hope, healing, and change to the 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse nationwide. For more information about Lauren’s Kids and the Walk in My Shoes event, visit laurenskids.org and laurenskidswalk.org.
