FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas – The Army South Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention team collaborated with Interactive Advocacy to provide a two-part annual training session. It wasn’t the normal annual SHARP training. It was bold, proactive, insightful, and thought provoking.

“As we keep prevention in the forefront of our organizations, we must continue to change the culture that effects our climate by bringing in bold and impactful training such as Interactive Advocacy to our units,” said Maj. Gen. William Thigpen, U.S. Army South commanding general.

Interactive Advocacy, led by CEO and founder Tanya Jones, is an organization that provides cutting edge training and strategies to empower change in the environment in which the rates of violence occur through theatrical-based training.

“Theater has a way of touching people’s heart,” said Jones. “You laugh, you’re engaged. You’re at the edge of your seat, you want to know what else is going to happen. It’s a great way to tell this type of story.”

Jones is a thriving survivor and Army veteran. She has over 20 years of experience and has held influential positions within the Department of Defense and the U.S. armed forces including roles as an Assistant Adjudicator, Assistant Inspector General, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Equal Opportunity Program Manager, and Diversity and Inclusion specialist.

When it comes to providing unparallel storytelling, Interactive Advocacy provides a 360 approach to training because the dynamics are always the same. It doesn’t matter if the team is covering human trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault. There is always a victim, a thriving survivor, a perpetrator, and bystanders.

“That storyline is always the same,” said Jones. “In any scenario, you can fall into any of those categories because they do not discriminate.”

The Don’t Just Stand There series included a general session titled “Silent Battle,” which is the depiction of male victimization and what that looks like in the military. The second session was titled “Leaders Lead,” which focuses on rebuilding the trust when individuals in the unit has been impacted by sexual assault.

“By putting spectators in the hot seat, it allows them to walk away feeling poured into and really willing to want to make some change,” explained Jones.

While both sessions provide two different points of view, the lessons and discussions focused on the same underlining lessons.

“Our ultimate goal is to foster an environment where you feel empowered,” explain Master Sgt. Kathryan Torres, Army South SARC. “Empowered to speak up, empowered to intervene, empowered to become the change that we need so that we can build a culture where Army life is a positive experience.”

Interactive Advocacy continues to travel around the world to provide training to military organizations and those who support the military.

“Anywhere where there is an organization that is willing to create cultural shifts when it comes to toxic behavior, we are here for it,” said Jones. “There is no place we won’t go if folks are willing to step outside the box and take a look at training in a completely different way.”