LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. - To continue the “We are Family” campaign, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office sponsored a visit from an improvisational comedy group to Langley Air Force Base, Va., July 22, 2013.
Catharsis Productions, and interactive comedic play, presented “Sex Signals,” a show about the complexities and potential dangers of sex, to give airmen the opportunity to better understand the importance of sexual assault prevention.
“One of our main goals is to encourage the community to show that rape is not tolerated and we as a community will stand together to fight against it,” said Annie Rix, Sex Signals presenter.
Through creativity and audience interaction, the actors displayed how social pressures, improbable fantasies and fake presumptions about the opposite sex add to tensions often found in the dating scene. Then, through a semi-improvisational scene, the presenters demonstrated how these and other factors can lead to sexual assault. The scene enabled audiences to recognize the true nature of rape, and to place full responsibility with the rapist, alleviating the burden of blame from the victim.
“The show opened my eyes to different situations and made me realize that it’s OK to say no,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jensine Vallecer, 633rd Medical Group technician. “It was entertaining, but also educational and I know that if I were ever put in a situation that I was uncomfortable in, I could use what I learned and know where to go to get help.”
“Sex Signals” challenges audiences not to mislabel coercive behavior as seduction and to reexamine a cultural pressures that too often hold victims of rape responsible for their own vulnerability.
“We want people to walk away from the show not blaming victims, be willing to hold people accountable for their actions and most of all, we want people to feel inspired,” said Brian Golden, “Sex Signals” presenter. “We want them to be excited to make their community a better place, where violence is not tolerated.”
The “We are Family” campaign and SAPR program help to reinforce airmen’s commitment to eliminate incidents of sexual assault through prevention and awareness. The 60-day campaign will continue to focus on revitalizing the wingman culture at Langley.