SAN DIEGO -- Sexual Assault Prevention and Response is a topic every Marine gets reminded about and educated on annually.
Marines of the depot learned about SAPR during a performance of “Voices of Men” aboard the depot, April 15.
The purpose of the play was to inform Marines about the different types of sexual assaults that happen every day.
“Every two minutes a man rapes a women,” said Ben Antherton-Zeman, national speaker and actor. “It is not just a number; it’s a crime that doesn’t need to happen.”
Antherton-Zeman explained how he uses famous characters such as Rocky Balboa and Austin Powers along with voice impressions to entertain the crowd as well as teach them.
Antherton-Zeman used scenarios from movies that each character was in that were examples of sexual assault. He then asked Marines questions about what the characters may have been doing wrong and what he was doing that was sexual assault.
“I have been doing voice impressions since I was very young,” said Antherton-Zeman. “I want to make the Marines enjoy the play but also relay the importance of what I’m talking about to them.”
During the play, Marines learned about SAPR information and victim blaming.
“I won’t stop doing what I do until victims of sexual assault don’t think it is their fault,” said 47-year-old Antherton-Zeman. “It is one of my main goals to make the victims aware that it is never their fault.”
Antherton-Zeman has performed this play in middle schools, high schools, colleges, conferences, churches and military instillations around the country.
“I’ve done this play over 500 times,” said Antherton-Zeman, a sexual assault activist. “I love doing it because it entertains people but also makes them aware of a subject that I feel really strongly about.”
Even though Marines experienced this play, their training does not stop here.
Every Marine in the Corps must undergo annual training on sexual assault along with other subjects as a requirement in the Marine Corps. Other items such as posters and public service announcements keep Marines aware that sexual assault happens every day and needs to stop.
“Annual training is very important to the Marine Corps,” said Lt. Col. John H. Sorenson, operations officer, Support Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment. “We need to stop these problems before they get worse.”