While undergoing the module CPP in my third year with 3 of my peers, we created a performance lecture together surrounding the topic of domestic violence. This was a presentation that included information surrounding domestic violence alongside performance elements. This was an important topic for me as I felt it was important to raise awareness; to reach out to people who had been through domestic violence through the use of information and performance techniques that we had included in our performance lecture. Throughout each session leading up to our performance lecture It was important that we did our research. We had to investigate the issue of domestic violence in depth; expanding our own understanding of the subject and how it had affected people. We had to have sensitivity towards this subject to make it tasteful; ensuring that people who has been through this experience first-hand were not discredited. We focused a lot on getting the statistics of domestic violence and looking at case studies. Case studies were essential as it created authenticity as this was a very sensitive subject that had to be realistic so that nobody was offended. As well as our performance lecture being about domestic violence, we wanted to incorporate a working-class element to it. With all of us coming from working class backgrounds, it was important to us to include that. We wanted to be a working-class company that focused on triggering topics that take place in a working-class setting. However, we wanted to do this in a way that did not discredit people who were not from working class backgrounds.
Even though this experience wasn’t about me facilitating a community I feel like it is relevant to my career goal as it is based around a hard hitting subject that had to be handled with care, linking to the It’s Not Okay project. I also feel its relevant as this performance lecture could be developed into a workshop for victims of domestic violence; using the information that we found and the drama techniques we used to present it. Furthermore, as I gain more experience in facilitating, I would like to use this performance lecture in the future to facilitate victims of domestic violence. I think it would be very beneficial for participants involved; using drama techniques to deal with there trauma. Also, I think as well as raising awareness of domestic violence, it is just as important to give the victims a voice using performance. Again, linking with me working with communities to benefit their lives in a positive way.