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Daisy Coleman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Daisy Coleman
Born
Catherine Daisy Coleman

(1997-03-30)March 30, 1997
Albany, Missouri, U.S.
DiedAugust 4, 2020(2020-08-04) (aged 23)
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Cause of death
Suicide
EducationMissouri Valley College
OccupationActivist
Known for
  • Advocating for people who have experienced rape, persecution and bullying
  • Co-founding SafeBAE (Before Anyone Else) www.safebae.org.
AwardsCinema Eye Honor (2016)

Catherine Daisy Coleman (March 30, 1997 – August 4, 2020) was an American sexual assault victim advocate who was the subject of the 2016 documentary film Audrie & Daisy, for which she received a Cinema Eye Honor. Coleman co-founded the non-profit organization SafeBAE, which is aimed at preventing sexual assault in schools. She died by suicide at the age of 23.

Early life

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Coleman was born to Melinda, a veterinarian[1] and Michael Coleman, a physician.[2] She had three brothers. In 2007, Michael, Daisy and one of her brothers were travelling in the car to watch another one of her brothers in a wrestling competition when the car hit black ice and went into a ravine, killing her father.[2][1][3] After his death, Coleman and the rest of the family moved to Maryville, Missouri.[2][1]

2012 sexual assault and investigation

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In January 2012, a 17-year-old boy from Maryville, Missouri was arrested for the rape and sexual assault of Coleman, then 14.[4] A 15-year-old boy was accused of doing the same to Coleman's 13-year-old friend, and a third boy admitted to recording the assault on a cellphone.[5][6] A significant controversy arose in 2013 when the county prosecutor dropped felony and misdemeanor charges against the first boy, Matthew Barnett, who was related to Rex Barnett, an influential former state representative, and the Nodaway County prosecutor Robert Rice dropped the felony sexual exploitation charge against the third boy. Robert Rice was soon afterward appointed as a Judge in Nodaway County, the same county he threw out the case in.[6][7][8]

Outrage in online communities, including Anonymous, soon followed when the story surrounding this case was revisited in October 2013.[9] Michael Schaffer, reporting on the incident for The New Republic, described Maryville, Missouri as a "lawless hellhole".[10] In 2014, a special prosecutor was put in charge to reinvestigate the case. The boy pleaded guilty to misdemeanor second-degree endangerment of the welfare of a child for leaving her outside her house, and was sentenced by Missouri Circuit Court Judge Glen Dietrich to four months in jail that were suspended in favor of two years of probation.[5][11] He was sentenced in juvenile court for the assault.[12]

Career and activism

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Coleman and her older brother Charlie advocated nationwide for sexual assault survivors.[3] HuffPost named Coleman as one of the "13 most Fearless Teens of 2013".[13] Coleman's story was featured in the 2016 Netflix documentary Audrie & Daisy.[14] Coleman and Audrie Pott were recipients of a 2016 Cinema Eye Honor as "unforgettable" memorable non-fiction film subjects.[15][16] She attended Missouri Valley College.[17]

She co-founded SafeBAE (Safe Before Anyone Else), a non-profit organization aimed at ending sexual assault among middle and high school students, with her brother Charlie, Ella Fairon, Jada Smith, and Shael Norris.[18][19] The organization uses a peer-to-peer model, training students to lead prevention work in their own schools on affirmative consent, dating violence, bystander intervention, survivor support, and students' rights under Title IX.[20] Coleman toured high schools and colleges to screen Audrie & Daisy and speak on those subjects.[19][21]

In April 2017, Coleman and her fellow co-founders launched Quit This Shit, a Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign against the online harassment and re-victimization of teen survivors. The campaign paired a public service video, in which teenagers read aloud messages the founders of SafeBAE had received after their assaults became public, with a website where visitors could pledge against such harassment.[22][23][24] In 2018, Coleman appeared on The Scarlet Letter Reports, a Facebook Watch series hosted by Amanda Knox, discussing how she was portrayed by the media and her community after reporting her assault and how she had come to work with other survivors.[25] During the episode she tattooed a semicolon, a symbol associated with suicide survival, on Knox's finger.[26] In the fall of 2019, Coleman and her brother Charlie spoke at the United Nations about SafeBAE's work, at the invitation of the World Childhood Foundation, the child protection organization founded by Queen Silvia of Sweden.[19]

In June 2018, Coleman relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado and was working as a tattoo artist. She also took guest spots at tattoo parlors around the country, tattooing other survivors while they shared their stories with her.[19] She worked on a second film project titled Saving Daisy, focusing on her recovery process, post-traumatic stress disorder, and the use of CBD and EMDR therapy.[27][28]

Personal life and death

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After the sexual assault, Coleman attempted suicide on multiple occasions.[29] She became the target of daily bullying, prompting the family to move from Maryville to Albany, Missouri. On February 17, 2007 her father, Dr. Michael Coleman, died in a car accident. In June 2018, her younger brother Tristan died in a car accident at 19 years old.[3]

Coleman died by suicide on August 4, 2020, at the age of 23.[30][31] Her death drew tributes from figures connected to her advocacy. Amanda Knox, who had interviewed her for The Scarlet Letter Reports, and comedian Amy Schumer, a friend, both posted memorials on social media; Schumer described her as a "warrior" and "beautiful artist".[26][32] Princess Madeleine of Sweden also paid tribute.[26][33]

On December 6, 2020, her mother Melinda also died by suicide.[34]

Legacy

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Following Coleman's death, her brother Charlie and SafeBAE executive director Shael Norris said the organization's school-based prevention education work would continue.[19] SafeBAE named its Certified Peer Educator Training, a free self-paced consent training for high school students, in her memory.[35] The organization marks her birthday, March 30, as Daisy Day, the annual launch of its Sexual Assault Awareness Month programming, and groups this memorial work under the hashtag #ForDaisy.

Documentary

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2016 Audrie & Daisy Herself Credited as Catherine Daisy Coleman
2019 Saving Daisy Herself Credited as Catherine Daisy Coleman

References

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  1. 1 2 3 Wakeman, Jessica (September 23, 2016). "Life After Sexual Assault: Inside Harrowing Doc 'Audrie & Daisy'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Farrell, Paul (October 14, 2013). "Daisy Coleman, Bullied Teen Rape Victim: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Archived from the original on October 3, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Montgomery, Rick (June 21, 2018). "Daisy Coleman loses brother in truck crash". The Kansas City Star. pp. A5. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ Kemp, Joe (October 18, 2013). "Missouri teen writes about being raped by grandson of politician and target in Maryville community". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on December 10, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  5. 1 2 Von Drehle, David (January 9, 2014). "A Cold End to Maryville Sexual Assault Case". Time. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  6. 1 2 Caldwell, Maggie (October 15, 2013). "Anonymous Takes On the Maryville Rape Scandal. Is This a Good Thing?". Mother Jones. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
  7. ↑ Arnett, Dugan (October 12, 2013). "Nightmare in Maryville: Teens' sexual encounter ignites a firestorm against family". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on March 17, 2019. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Why Was the Maryville Rape Case Dropped?". KCUR. July 11, 2013. Archived from the original on July 27, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  9. ↑ David Von Drehle. Hackers Target Town After Dropped Sexual-Assault Case, Time, October 14, 2013
  10. ↑ Michael Schaffer (October 23, 2013). "Maryville, Missouri Is a Lawless Hellhole". The New Republic. Archived from the original on October 31, 2013. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ "'The case is closed': No rape charges in Maryville, Mo., case". Los Angeles Times. January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on October 11, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2016.; "Maryville, Mo., Sexual Assault Case Comes to an End". ABC News. January 10, 2014. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  12. ↑ Green, Treye (October 19, 2013). "Who Is Matthew Barnett? 7 Facts to Know About the Accused Maryville Rapist". International Business Times.
  13. ↑ "The 13 Most Fearless Teens Of 2013". HuffPost. December 26, 2013. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Subject of 'Audrie & Daisy' Documentary Dies by Suicide". The New York Times. August 5, 2020. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  15. ↑ Bernstein, Paula (October 19, 2016). "The Year's Most Unforgettable Documentary Subjects". Filmmaker Magazine. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  16. ↑ "10th Annual Cinema Eye Honors Announces THE UNFORGETTABLES". October 18, 2016. Archived from the original on October 2, 2020. Retrieved August 6, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Daisy Coleman, star of Netflix documentary 'Audrie & Daisy,' dies by suicide at 23". NBC News. August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  18. ↑ "US abuse survivor in Netflix film dies by suicide". BBC News. August 5, 2020. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 NOW, Andrew Gaug News-Press (August 9, 2020). "Daisy Coleman's activism continues after her death". News-Press NOW. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  20. ↑ "The co-founders of SafeBAE are Leaders on Fire". ignitenational.org. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  21. ↑ Truesdell, Jeff (February 7, 2017). "Inside Daisy Coleman's Campaign for Sexual Assault Survivors: 'It's About Healing Others'". People. Retrieved July 22, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ↑ Dupere, Katie (April 4, 2017). "#QuitThisShit helps sexual assault survivors stand up to their trash-talkers". Mashable. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  23. ↑ McNamara, Brittney (April 3, 2017). "This Is Why You Shouldn't Trash Talk Sexual Assault Survivors". Teen Vogue. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Online Harassment of Survivors". SafeBAE. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  25. ↑ Knox, Amanda (May 16, 2018). "Six Years After Being Cast as a 'Lying Slut' for Reporting a Rape, Daisy Coleman Speaks Out". VICE. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  26. 1 2 3 "'A Fighter For Others': Amanda Knox, Artists Mourn Suicide Death Of Daisy Coleman". Oxygen. August 6, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  27. ↑ Preston, Devon (April 12, 2019). "An Exclusive with Daisy Coleman, from "Audrie & Daisy"". Inked Magazine. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  28. ↑ Preston, Devon (January 16, 2019). "Colorado Tattoo Artist Embarks on Innovative Therapy Journey Following One of the Most Publicized Sexual Assault Cases in American History". Inked Magazine. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  29. ↑ Diaz, Joseph J.; Efferon, Lauren; Valiente, Alexa; Smith, Jenner (January 10, 2014). "Maryville Teen Daisy Coleman's Mother, Brother Reveal Her Reaction to Accused Rapist's Misdemeanor Plea". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  30. ↑ Dickson, E. J. (August 5, 2020). "Daisy Coleman of 'Audrie and Daisy' Dead by Suicide at 23". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  31. ↑ "Daisy Coleman from Netflix documentary Audrie & Daisy dies aged 23". The Independent. August 5, 2020. Retrieved August 5, 2020.
  32. ↑ "Amy Schumer Mourns Death of Sexual Assault Survivor Daisy Coleman: 'You Were a Warrior'". People.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  33. ↑ "Princess Madeleine shares heartbreaking tribute to advocate: 'One of our brightest stars'". Nine.com.au. August 7, 2020. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
  34. ↑ Cronkleton, Robert; Gutierrez, Lisa (December 7, 2020). "Mother of Daisy Coleman takes own life four months after daughter's suicide". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on December 7, 2020.(Subscription required.)
  35. ↑ "Peer Educator Training". SafeBAE. Retrieved July 22, 2026.
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