One of the most memorable Orientation events is Unspeakable Acts, a collection of skits and monologues designed to raise awareness of sexual violence and the resources available to survivors. Lisa Currie, Director of Health Education and coordinator of Unspeakable Acts, provided the Argus with some insight into both the artistic and educational aspects of the production.

Argus: A theater piece seems like an unusual way to address the topic of sexual violence. Why is it effective?

Lisa Currie: In my experience, the use of peer theater to address health issues is not that unusual on college campuses. I think students are much better able to connect with the issue if it is performed in a sensitive manner by their peers. Theater makes the issues more real, gets students thinking and seeing the issues in a different manner than if it were just another talking head giving a lecture.

A: Who wrote Unspeakable Acts? Do the skits and monologues change every year?

LC: The script was originally purchased in 2002 from The BACCHUS Network, a national organization that supports peer education initiatives on college campuses. It has been heavily revised over the years by various Wesleyan students and the performers themselves. The only skit that remains intact from the original script is the courtroom scene and even it has been edited somewhat.

A: What is organizing and directing a “show” like Unspeakable Acts like?

LC: My office organizes recruitment, but it is directed by a student director. This year that is Mark McCloughlan, a senior theater major who performed last year. Given the visibility of the skits during Orientation and the impression they tend to leave on students, we don’t have any trouble recruiting performers each spring. The most interesting aspect is the performers have just a few days from first rehearsal to final performance. Often, they won’t have even seen the revised script before the first rehearsal. They pull it off every year with great success though.

A: Last year, students and faculty collaborated to revise the Sexual Misconduct and Assault Policy, and the revision included an expanded support network for survivors of sexual violence. Does this year’s show reflect these changes?

LC: We have included information about the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and other campus support resources in a skit on being an ally to a survivor of sexual violence. We don’t get into the judicial aspects in too much detail because our primary focus is on helping student understand the dynamics and impact of sexual violence. There are opportunities for follow up discussion later on that can address judicial concerns. All students also receive a brochure with information on campus policy, reporting options, SART and other support resources.

A: Do you think that Unspeakable Acts has a significant impact on the frequency of or response to sexual violence on campus?

LC: I think Unspeakable Acts has raised awareness amongst students and has increased dialogue on the issue, which has resulted in a greater response by students and the University. Since sexual assault is an incredibly under-reported crime, I can’t say whether it has had an impact on actual incidents. My hope is that the increased understanding of sexual violence and the available resources will encourage students to seek out support in order to heal, whether they choose to report or not.

A: The message of Unspeakable Acts is clear, but is there anything else about sexual violence that students should know?

LC: We as a community must come together and declare this kind of behavior absolutely unacceptable. Then we must learn and teach each other how to identify and intervene when behaviors occur that support sexual violence. We should not be bystanders to any form of violence. Most people when confronted on a behavior will stop, so we can’t be afraid to say something. We also need to understand better how sexual violence connects with other forms of oppression such as sexism, homophobia, racism, and the other “ism’s”. It’s easy to focus on what individuals can do to reduce their risk – not going out alone, reducing alcohol and drug consumption, knowing how to say no, and the like. But the responsibility for ending sexual violence should never be placed on the potential victim or survivor – it is the responsibility of the potential assailant.