Jada Pinkett Smith wants to help rape victims after niece recently drugged

Speaking at the Television Critics Association (TCA) panel for her new show, she said: "My niece was given a date rape drug that weekend. She's 20 years old - thank God nothing happened because she was with some responsible guys that took care of her.

"She was safe because she was with a group of friends that realised - she said, 'Oh, my god, I can't feel my ..., " and she started losing consciousness...

"There is an epidemic going on out here in regards to the treatment of women. We have to figure out how we can empower people in different ways."

And the 42-year-old actress is doing her best to educate her 13-year-old daughter Willow and asked her niece to discuss her recent terrifying experience with her.

She explained: "I had my niece sit down with my daughter and a couple of her friends and tell her about that experience.

"It's one thing to sit with me as her mother: It's like 'OK, Mom, yeah, I get that.' But when you have your 20-year-old cousin that comes in, and she's like, 'This is what happened,' and it was somebody you looked up to as well, it's like, 'Oh, man, this is really real.' "

And Jada - who also has 16-year-old son Jaden with husband Will Smith - is confident her daughter takes her advice on board.

She said: "I give her the opportunity to be empowered by having herself first, because when you allow a person to be an individual and you allow a person to have power within and have confidence with who they are, she'll never have to look in the eyes of a man and question whether it's a 'yes' or a 'no' - she's going to be very clear."