“Sex Signals”: National Campus Hit Educates Students on Harassment and Date Rape

Getting college students to understand rape myths is a tricky, highly nuanced business. - Lisette Sepulveda, junior, Liberal Studies

By bringing the Catharsis Productions program, “Sex Signals” to the Dominguez Hills campus on March 21, junior
Lisette Sepulveda (Liberal Studies) hopes to educate her fellow students on a sobering aspect of campus social life: date rape.

“Because CSUDH is 70% women, we thought that this program was of great importance,” she says. “Statistics show that 1 out of 7 women attending college has been raped. The message behind this program will hopefully help the sexes to communicate without any misunderstanding that may lead to sexual harassment or date rape.”

A unique combination of improvisational comedy and audience participation,
“Sex Signals” provides an uncompromising look at dating, sex, and acquaintance rape on college campuses. Mixed messages, gender role stereotypes, and unrealistic expectations are among the topics explored, underscoring the differences between men and women with humor and empathy.

“Getting college students to understand rape myths is a tricky, highly nuanced business,” notes Sepulveda, a member of Phi Sigma Sigma. She lobbied for the show to appear at CSUDH after seeing it at the Western Regional Greek Conference, with the help of Asucena “Suzy” Cervantes (Class of ’00, B.A., Psychology/Spanish), Greek Advisor and coordinator, Office of Student Life and New Student Orientation.

“While statistics acknowledge men as the major perpetrators, it is found that women assist in enforcing the mythology that good girls aren't victims of rape, and that rapists are most often strangers leaping out from darkened alleyways,” continues Sepulveda. “These myths allow ‘nice guys’ to believe that none of their behaviors in obtaining sex from women could ever be construed as rape, and disables women from being able to assess any risk posed to them by the ‘nice guy’ they know.”

“Sex Signals” is sponsored by the University Greek Council; Associated Students, Inc.; Toro Productions; the MultiCultural Center; the Office of Transportation Safety Grant, partnered with the Alcohol Awareness Coordinating Team; Toro Athletics; the Women’s Center; and University Housing.

The program will be presented in the University Theater at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are free with valid student i.d., and are available in the Office of Student Life in Welch Hall, D-245A. More information is available by calling (310) 243-2081.

For more information on “Sex Signals,” visit http://catharsisproductions.com/.

- Joanie Harmon