Keith Smith Biography
When Keith Smith was 14 years old, he was abducted, beaten and raped by a stranger in the woods in his hometown. He reported the assault to the police, and the perpetrator was arrested. Smith testified in front of a grand jury and the perpetrator was indicted—but the the man responsible never stood trial. Before the trial date, the perpetrator was beaten to death by unknown assailants.
The experience haunted Smith, and he remained silent about the assault for the next 35 years. “I was afraid of what people would think. I was ashamed that a man sexually assaulted me…that I didn't fight hard enough.” Men and boys may experience the same effects of sexual assault as other survivors, and they can experience additional challenges due to social norms about masculinity.
Smith also felt pressure to keep his story a secret to eliminate the possibility that his “protectors,” the unnamed people who murdered the perpetrator, would be arrested. “My brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers, coaches, professors, priests, doctors and colleagues were unaware. My mother didn't fully understand what happened, and my daughters knew nothing. No one knew. It was my secret. My choice.”
Today, Smith is vigilant about educating the public on the reality of sexual violence and how it affects men and boys. As an active member of RAINN, the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, he frequently speaks about his experience to local communities in New York City. Smith has also written a novel based on the experience, “Men in My Town,” which tells his story in tangent with a fictionalized account of the townspeople who sought retribution by murdering the perpetrator.
Smith’s story has been covered by Roni Rabin for the New York Times. He participated in Oprah Winfrey’s award-winning show, '200 Male Survivors,' was featured on ‘Perspective' with ABC Investigative Reporter Nora Muchanic, and appeared on Anderson Cooper’s Special, 'State of Shame:The Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal.’
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Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Keith Smith for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a
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How much does it cost to book Keith Smith?
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booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
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All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Keith Smith for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Keith Smith for your next private or corporate function.
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All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Keith Smith or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Keith Smith or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
Keith Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Why Victims Don’t Disclose, A Call to Action for Volunteers, Funding Sources and Benefactors, 5 Steps You Can Take to Keep Kids Safe, Making the Transition from Victim to Survivor, Personal and Societal Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Childhood Sexual Abuse - The Myth & The Reality. The estimated speaking fee range to book Keith Smith for your event is $5,000 - $10,000. Keith Smith generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Paul Robinson, Erin Merryn, Louis-Philippe Loncke, James Garbarino and Theresa Flores. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Keith Smith for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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