The legion of runners and walkers who will be winding their ways along the worn trails of Russ Forest in April will not be hitting the outdoors only to enjoy the serene landscape of the county park.

They will also be racing to help support survivors of a problem that remains all too common in southwest Michigan households.

Registration for the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Services’ second annual Survivor Stomp are now open. The event will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, at the park, located 8 miles east of Dowagiac at 20379 Marcellus Highway, Decatur.

People can register for the event’s 5K run for $25, as well as a free 1.4-mile walk, which participants are encouraged to collect pledges for. People who sign up for the 5K or who raise $25 or more in donations for the walk will receive a free T-shirt.

New to this year’s event is a dog walk, where people can enjoy a leisurely stroll around the forest with their pet.

“Animals are often used as tools by abusers,” said DASAS Executive Director Kimberly Kramer. “A lot of people tend to stay in relationships because they are worried about what will happen to their pets if they leave.”

Like the 1.4-mile walk, people can sign up for the dog walk free of charge.

The Survivor Stomp is one of DASAS’ major annual fundraisers. The organization introduced the outdoor run/walk last year as a replacement for its Cass County Walk a Mile in Her Shoes — an event where men walked through downtown wearing high heels — which had experienced stalled growth compared to its counterpart the organization hosts every summer in St. Joseph County.

“We wanted to host a different kind of run, and having it take place on a trail system fit the bill,” Kramer said. “We also wanted to have a beautiful setting for the run, and have it take place somewhere in Cass County. Russ Forest seemed like the best location possible.”

The event was moved from the summer to April as well, to commemorate National Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The distance of the 1.4-mile walk also carries significance, as it represents the one in four women who will suffer domestic violence or sexual abuse in their lifetimes, Kramer said.

Last year’s inaugural stomp had around 50 participants, and raised more than $3,000 for DASAS’ operations, Kramer said. DASAS leaders are looking to raise $8,000 through this year’s event, as the organization’s board is seeking to recruit additional participants and sponsorships, the director said.

Money raised through the Survivor Stomp will be used to support DASAS’ operations. The organization — headquartered in Three Rivers with a branch office in Dowagiac — supports victims and families affected by domestic and sexual abuse living in Cass, St. Joseph and Van Buren counties, by providing counseling, legal aid and temporary housing, among other services.

On top of raising money, fundraisers such as the Survivor Stomp also raise awareness for an issue that often flies under the radars of many local residents, in spite of how prevalent such abuse continues to be, Kramer said.

“I think this a great way for people to show their support to survivors,” she said. “We want to bring the topic of domestic violence into the light and out of the darkness, where the conversation is shifted from victim blaming to supporting survivors. We want to make this an event where people honor what survivors have gone through.”

People can register for the event online, at raceentry.com/race-reviews/survivor-stomp-2017, or by calling DASAS at (269) 273-6154.