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TAMPA — Some people walk up to Lauren Book-Lim and offer her money as she trudges up city streets and down back roads.
She gives them teal bracelets with "39 million" printed on one side representing survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and her Web site, laurenskids.org, on the other.
The 25-year-old foundation director walked from Aventura to Tampa on her way to Tallahassee for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and to spread her message: "It's okay to tell."
She started her "Walk in My Shoes" tour April 2 in front of the home where she was sexually abused by her nanny, Waldina Flores, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence.
She learned a lot in her first 200 miles of walking. Though Book-Lim travels with an entourage that includes a tour bus, a videographer, security and her 7-year-old Yorkshire terrier, Lilly, the walk hasn't been all pleasant.
Trudging up N Florida Avenue on Tuesday, she wore shorts, protective leggings, aviator sunglasses, a Nike cap, sunblock and a wrist full of teal bracelets. The leggings came after she got burns on the back of her legs from reflections off the asphalt. The leg supports came after she pulled a calf muscle.
Book-Lim began training for the walk in September. "But it really doesn't prepare you for the heat and the conditions of doing something like this — those 30- to 35-mile days, you know," she said.
She has stopped at abuse and crisis centers throughout the state, including Crisis Center of Tampa Bay.
The center's CEO, W. David Braughton, and employees gave Book-Lim a tour of the facility, which houses a counseling center, the 211 crisis hotline and evidence collection for rape victims.
She asked about children's care and making victims comfortable to come forward. Most of her ideas, the crisis center had covered.
But that wasn't going to make her stop walking.
"There should be enough (places) to serve all those who need them."
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