Dedicating to ending sexual violence on campus
PROGRAMS & TOOLS
PREVENTION
PROGRAMMING MATRIX
Speak About It
Speak About It is a performance-based presentation about consent, boundaries and healthy relationships. Using a combination of humorous and provocative skits, interactive dialogue, and monologues, Speak About It addresses consent, sexual assault, and bystander intervention. The goal is to have a conversation about having a conversation about sex, and to leave the students feeling educated, entertained and empowered to create change on their campus (Speak About It).
Website
http://speakaboutitonline.com/
| Program Name | Level of Evidence | Format | Target Audience | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Speak About It
|
Emerging |
|
|
Focuses on consent and hook-up culture |
Learning Objectives
By the end of our presentation and the following facilitation learners will:
- have the tools necessary to begin having constructive, dynamic, and honest conversations about healthy sexuality with themselves and their partners,
- develop a set of strategies for intervening when faced with peers in potentially unsafe situations.
Methods
Speak About It is an hour-long program performed by five professional educational actors that can be tailored to reflect experiences, resources, and relevant policy of a campus/community. Narratives are collected online and allow the presentation to be customized and highlight the wide range of experiences with sex, relationships, and hook up cultures on campus.
Dosage
One time event including an hour-long theatrical performance and optional follow up panel and/or peer led discussion groups. Performers are qualified to facilitate pre/post performance discussions and panels, making the program interactive as well.
Logistics
Before bringing “Speak About It” to campus, the team gathers information about local and relevant resources and collects narratives from the campus community about sex/dating/consent to incorporate into the program.
Population Served
General student body (co-ed), athletes, student leaders, high school juniors/seniors
Theoretical Basis For Approach
Speak About It uses a peer education model both for their performance piece, college students performing for college students, but also by training student leaders to lead discussions with the audience after the show. Studies have shown peers are the strongest influence on a student’s development and experience in college (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Speak About It harnesses the power of peer influence to develop a relatable and impactful performance and creates lasting, cultural change on campuses by equipping leaders with tools to keep the conversation about consent going long after the performance ends.
Program Effectiveness
Currently developing formal evaluation tools in accordance the Campus SaVE Act.
PARTICIPATING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Speak About It has presented at numerous universities, including:
- Brandeis University
- Brown University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- The US Naval Academy
- University of Southern Indiana
- Tufts University
- The College of William and Mary
- Williams College
A full list of schools can be accessed on the program's website.
CONSIDERATIONS FOR ADMINIsTRATORS
The effectiveness of Speak About It may be influenced by levels of buy in before bringing the program to campus (to hopefully be confirmed with data). The more narratives collected, the more relevant and potentially accessible the performance will be. A strong partnership between the Speak About It team and interested administration and student groups will ultimately yield the most appropriate and effective program possible. In response to the pandemic, Speak About It has developed a completely digital program packages, including personalized versions of flagship shows, student leader training and debrief conversations.
HOW TO ACCESS THIS PROGRAM
$4000 per performance plus travel and hotel fees for 5 actors
Sources
Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (2005). How college affects students. Vol. 2: A third decade of research. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass