CounterAct
Creative actions against sexual violence
CounterAct
Transition to College
More than 50 percent of college sexual assaults occur between the time students arrive on campus and Thanksgiving break, also known as the “red zone” period. To prepare students to intervene during the “red zone” period and beyond, it was necessary to teach the vocabulary to explore one’s sexual growth. Best practices in the sexual assault prevention field utilize peer-to-peer education models; following that model, CounterAct facilitated a student-devised performance of the play “With Each Other.”
With Each Other Performance
"With Each Other" was a performance developed by and for ASU students. The goal of the original production was to teach incoming freshmen about sexual violence prevention. The 35-minute play imagines a graduation ceremony that celebrates the contributions of ASU students towards creating a culture of healthy sexuality and consent on campus.
The With Each Other Performance had the following outcomes:
The inaugural performance took place in August 2017, performed as a part of freshman orientation programming for ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, the College of Liberal Arts and Studies, and Barrett, the Honors College.
- Fall 2017
- 27 students participated in the devising and rehearsal process
- 675 students reached, and 105 students participated in post-performance workshops
- Fall 2018
- 24 students participated in the devising and rehearsal process
- 2,000 students reached, including performances on all four campuses
- Comments about “With Each Other”:
- “I have become much more aware of asking for consent in my daily interactions. I am now aware of my own personal touch with others and my responsibility to ask for consent when hugging or engaging in my everyday personal touch with colleagues, friends, and students.”- Nikki Truscelli, “With Each Other” actor
- “I never saw someone like me on stage until now.” -“With Each Other” audience member
- “I used to think that if someone was drunk or acting overly sexual at a party, that it was their fault if they got into trouble. I heard someone onstage say that today and realized how stupid it sounded.”-“With Each Other” workshop participant
Related article: Difficult conversation: ASU initiative takes on sexual violence prevention
Resources
ASU-wide sexual violence prevention
RAINN anti-sexual assault
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization.
Hotline: Online chat (National) / 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Love is Respect
loveisrespect’s purpose is to engage, educate and empower young people to prevent and end abusive relationships.
Call: 1-866-331-9474 (24/7)
Text: LOVEIS to 22522*
Or "chat now" online, at the top of their website
Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer & questioning youth.
All services are available 24/7
Phone: 1-866-488-7386
Text START TO 678678
Human Rights Campaign
HRC : Sexual Assault and the LGBTQ Community
The HRC is one of the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
HRC Front Desk: 202-628-4160
TTY: 202-216-1572
Toll-Free: 1-800-777-4723