Bill Cosby Update

Oh how the mighty have fallen as Bill Cobsy has been accused of sexual misconduct involving  at least 40 women according to CNN. Andrea Constand alleges in January 2004, when she was 31 and a staffer for the women’s basketball team at Temple University, Cosby’s Alma Mater she was invited to Bill Cosby’s Cheltenham, Pennsylvania Home. Allegedly Bill Cosby provided her with some medication that made her dizzy where she later woke up to find her bra undone and her clothes in disarray. A similar incident occurred in 2005. She was the first to publicly allege sexual assault of sexual abuse by the hands of Bill Cosby and on December 30th ,  2015 Cosby was charged with sexual assault in relation to the 2004 incident of sexual misconduct Dolores Troiani, her attorney confirmed to CNN.

Her story is just one of the many stories out there of women alleging Cosby invited them over to his place, an apartment or wherever and offered them a drink where they blacked out. The women claim they came to, to find themselves either naked with Cosby sexually assaulting them or Cosby beginning to undress them and then sexually assaulting them. All of the women accusing Cosby have ages that run the gamut but what strikes me is that some allegations have ages starting around 17, 18 and even 19 which is the very definition of rape and no one should have go through that let alone from someone they idolized yet barely knew. All the women with the expectation of a few were advised  to keep quiet either by friends, loved ones and husbands or they never even bothered to disclose they were assaulted in the first place. There is this notion in society when a female speaks up about sexual misconduct/ assault they are never truly believed. They get told “well what where you wearing” or “maybe you were asking for it.” Unfortunately for many of these women the statute of limitations has run out so Bill Cosby cannot be charged with the crimes of sexual assault and misconduct as many of these incidents happened in the late 1960’s through the 1980’s.  Some part of these allegations happen in the early through mid-2000’s as well.

The issue isn’t necessarily Cosby won’t be charged with most of these crimes is that there is a lack of ownership on Cosby’s part for these sexual assaults and that these women felt like even if they spoke up, no one would believe them. Bill Cosby would rather be seen in what seems like is the same sweater for months on end walking into court with his legal team to deny these allegations completely forgetting about the damage and pain he has done to these women’s lives and the victims/ survivors of sexual assault lives as well. The allegations against him should not have been believed only after comedian Hannibal Burress and Producer and Director Judd Apatow went on the record stating they “hated when guys raped women” therefore women weren’t believed and taken seriously when they say they’ve been assaulted.

These women have suffered long enough and they aren’t asking for much, they aren’t demanding Cobsy be charged with sexual misconduct in all cases they simply just want the world to know Cobsy is not who he seems and just to own up to his past dalliances among other things. It appears Bill Cosby owning up to past sexual misconducts and or getting charged for them as well  may never happen at least not in the near future. On January, 6th , 2016 BuzzFeed posted an article that The Los Angeles County district attorney declined to file charges against Bill Cosby regarding two allegations of sexual assault. The first incident began at a jazz club in 1965 with alcoholic beverages that lead to sexual misconduct at a Hollywood Hills residence. The Los Angeles County district attorney decided to not file charges because the statute of limitations for forcible rape had expired. The second incident was reportedly a Playboy Mansion party in 2008 potentially within the statute of limitations the only problem was there were inconsistencies in the allegations and Cosby apparently was never at said Playboy Mansion party. While this was just one instance where Cosby would not be charged it still doesn’t aide in women being believed if they say they have been raped/sexually assaulted and it only further lets Bill Cosby off the hook. All through these court proceedings and allegations have been going on, Camille, Bill Cosby’s wife has been by his side silently supporting him for reasons unknown to many including myself.

On March 8th 2016, BuzzFeed reported Camille refused to answer at least 98 questions under oath during her videotaped deposition regarding Bill’s denial of sexual assault accusations. She was called to participate in the deposition in a case brought by seven women against her husband however, the judge ruled she could cite marital privilege when appropriate  and decline to answer questions. It seems she took that as she would participate in the case but only on her terms which seemed to mean she would be refusing to answer pretty much any questions brought up. It seems both her lips and Bill Cosby’s lips are sealed on the matter as to whether or not any  sexual misconducts and or defamation actually took place. So after all these court proceedings we still are no closer to justice being served and women actually being believed the first time they say they have been raped/sexually assaulted let alone people releasing at its core there needs to be a serious overhaul of what consent is not only in the court but in reality as well.