Subjects Of Netflix Sexual Assault Documentary Speaking At Lower Merion HS​

Two subjects of a Netflix documentary will be speaking at Lower Merion High School on Wednesday, Feb. 15 where they will speak to a group of students about sexual assault prevention, consent education, bystander intervention, and survivor rights under Title IX.

Jada Smith and Ella Fairon – who are the subjects of "Audrie & Daisy," a documentary about America's teenagers who are coming of age in the new world of social media bullying – and the founders of SafeBAE.

SafeBAE is a national survivor-driven organization which works exclusively with middle and high-school students to educate kids 12 to 18 years old about positive consent, dating violence, sexual assault prevention, re-victimization & bystander intervention, survivor self care, and survivor rights under Title IX.

Lower Merion High School students will speak in a roundtable format with Smith and Fairon about how their sexual assaults as teenagers led them to become activists and drove them to change peer culture in their school, their friendship circles, and even their families.

“We cannot wait until college to have discussions about consent and healthy relationships,” Smith said in a statement. “Consent workshops in college are too late to make real and lasting change when so many kids are becoming sexually active earlier and when ideas about relationships and sex are formed in adolescence.”

Smith and Fairon will also discuss creative and age-appropriate ways to tackle rape culture, talk about consent, and learn about bystander intervention. The group will also watch SafeBAE's educational videos and a Title IX PSA.

"SafeBAE is unique because we are using peer-to-peer education to shift culture around consent and the online bullying that happens to victims in the aftermath of an assault," Fairon said. "We came together so that other survivors would know they are not alone. They will get through this, just like we did."

Charlie Coleman, brother of SafeBAE co-founder Daisy Coleman and also a central participant in "Audie & Daisy," will be participating in the discussion, as well.

In the film Charlie shares his voice as both a brother of a survivor, an ally, a coach and mentor to young athletes. His previous experience speaking at schools has led him to want to reach as many young boys, especially athletes, as possible.

"If I can inspire one boy to intervene, one girl to speak out, or save one life, it'll all have been worth it," Coleman said of SafeBAE.

Visit SafeBAE's website to learn more about its mission, how to become involved, and ways you can support the group.

Watch a trailer for the "Audrie & Daisy" documentary below: