Creating cultural awareness through proactive training

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Katarzyna Kobiljak | 151104-N-YW024-139 CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii (Nov. 4, 2015) Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jesus Claudio acts out a scene during a proactive training at the Camp H.M Smith Fitness Center. Pure Praxis is a socially adaptive performance group that works with Sailors and Marines both stateside and overseas. Pure Praxis performances use improvisational theater to rehearse for difficult life situations so the audience can practice positive, creative and safe solutions. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak/Released)  

CAMP H.M. SMITH, HAWAII, UNITED STATES

11.05.2015

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Katarzyna Kobiljak  

Navy Public Affairs Support Element Detachment Hawaii

CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii -- Military service members and civilian employees gathered at the Camp H.M Smith Fitness Center to participate in a debut proactive training presented by Pure Praxis group, Nov. 4.

The theme of the training was “Retaliation, Ostracism and Maltreatment.” Pure Praxis is a socially adaptive performance group contracted by the Department of the Navy Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (DON SAPRO) to deliver a creative and unique workshop that encourages and motivates members to take a stand, to become involved and to accomplish changes that they desire.

“Our training involves the audience and focuses on creating solutions to problems we put on a display,” said Nicole Snell, program and content administrator for Pure Praxis.

“During the training, we ask our audience to brainstorm ideas and to change the outcome of the situation to a positive one,” said Snell. “This is a practice audience members can use in the future.”

In previous trainings, Snell said she noticed audience members weren’t afraid to stand up for “what is right” and was surprised by how many solutions they would come up with to show they were supporting each other’s ideas.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback,” said Snell. “People came to us after the show and tell us how much they enjoyed the training.”

“This training was very powerful,” said Corpsman 1st Class Israel Rosa. “I really liked how the actors engaged with us, especially the junior enlisted audience members.”

Rosa said he enjoyed the way the actors portrayed the characters because the audience could really relate to them. Rosa brought up a scene where a male actor plays a victim of a sexual assault.

“The males in the audience were able to recognize the struggles he had to go through as a male victim,” said Rosa.

The Pure Praxis group is raising awareness about victims of sexual assault by involving its audience members in the event through proactive training.

“It was the best SAPR training I have received to date,” said Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jesus Claudio. “Great interaction between the troupe and the audience.”

For more information and resources about SAPR training, please visit the SAPR website www.sapr.navy.mil.

• Date Taken: 11.05.2015
• Date Posted: 11.05.2015 15:51
• Story ID: 181046
• Location: CAMP H.M. SMITH, HAWAII, US