JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Joint Base Langley-Eustis Sexual Assault Theater Group performed a skit titled "An Airman Assault: Know Your Part" for U.S. Service members and civilians at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, April 7, 2015.
The group used the skit to emphasize the importance of wingmanship in a series of simulated events that could lead to sexual assault. The skit encouraged the audience's participation to recognize the signs of a possible offender as the scenarios were acted out.
"The performance laid out the entire scenario leading up to a sexual assault and the aftermath. We show a scenario where bystanders could've intervened to prevent a potential assault by being a good wingman," said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. William Hayes, 633rd Communications Squadron superintendent of operations and a Langley Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program victim advocate. "We also showed how the offender targets and attempts to take advantage of a potential victim and how the offender justifies their behavior."
Hayes and the other group members are victim advocates who use Sexual Assault Awareness Month skits as an alternative for briefings. Hayes added some briefings are mandatory, but SATG's performances are designed to provide a different approach to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program.
"In a briefing you read and hear about things you should and should not do and what you should watch out for," said Hayes. "In our skit, we actually act everything out where you can see the behavior, call it out and question it. We want the audience to recognize certain behaviors and know when to intervene and stop it. Protecting and looking out for each other is a 24/7 job that takes place anywhere at any time."
At the end of the skit, the group answered the audience's questions while still in character.
"We found [the question and answer session] helps the audience realize what the characters did wrong by discussing in character," said Hayes. "The cast answers the questions as the victim, the bartender, the offender and the bystander."
Hayes hopes to give the audience a glimpse into an offender's way of thinking. After watching one of SATG's performances, Hayes said an Airman should be able to identify what situations lead up to an assault and have a good idea of how to prevent it.
"Individuals can help mitigate this behavior by being aware of their surrounding and always being in the correct mental state," said Hayes. "Having a good wingman you can trust helps."
For more information about SATG, call Hayes at 225-7194.
To talk to a victim advocate or become one, call the Langley AFB SAPR office at 764-7272 or the Fort Eustis SHARP office at 268-8967.