Let’s talk about sex
Interactive sexual assault awareness program, Sex Signals, bringing its message to DWC students

Sex. The word itself gets attention and provokes conversation. After all, you’re reading this, aren’t you?

The program, coming to Daniel Webster September 12^th, said Campus Safety Director Jamie Provencher, is an interactive look at dating and relationships and not only how to treat members of the opposite sex, but how to interpret the “signals” they’re giving.

“Sex Signals blends a unique combination of improvisational comedy, education and audience participation,” said DWC’s Assistant Dean of Students Erika Paradis, “providing a provocative, ‘in-your-face’ look at issues surrounding dating, sex and date rape on college campuses.”

The presentation distinguishes itself by mixing improvisational comedy, education, and audience interaction; it provokes discussions about dating, sex, and the issue of consent. The 75-minute, two-person play begins with an irreverent and funny look at the awkwardness of dating, with each actor representing their gender’s perspective. Through a no-holds-barred approach, the show explores how social pressures, gender role stereotypes, and unrealistic fantasies can make social interaction a challenge.

Although the message is a serious one, the show uses humor, engaging audiences in candid discussions about their beliefs and experiences. Seasoned educators and facilitators, the presenters strike a balance between laughing about the differences between men and women, and clearly communicating serious messages about how people should treat each other.

All of the performers have extensive training in interactive theater and sexual assault education. Since the program’s 2000 inception, Sex Signals has performed over 1,000 shows at over 400 colleges and universities, making it the nation’s most popular college-touring sexual assault awareness program.

 “Our office feels that it’s importance to provide good information about sexual relationships to the College community,” said Provencher, a former Nashua Police Department sergeant. “We anticipate a better understanding on campus of how men and women think and better relationships that will evolve from this.”  Sex Signals, he added, creates the kind of critical dialogue necessary to dissolve enduring rape myths and encourage thoughtful, accountable, intimate behavior. The program reaches out to students who have mislabeled coercion as consent, with the hope that once they realize the brutal impact of rape, that they will change their behavior.

“It’s an interactive show that explores the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of the college dating scene,” he said, “as well as being entertaining and thought provoking.”

The program, by Catharsis Productions, was funded by Daniel Webster Offices of Campus Safety and Student Affairs and from a NCAA Health and Safety Speakers Grant. The program is being supported on the Daniel Webster Campus through the Office of Student Affairs, Campus Safety, the Student Activities Board, and the Athletic Department.