Blog: Social Issues: Getting to the Heart of What Matters, by Cheryl Patterson
There’s a lot of controversy over whether Bill Cosby really drugged and raped the approximately 26 women that have come forward so far. I don’t get it. Some people go so far as to suggest it’s made up by these women. Given supportive information and statistics about rape victims this is highly unlikely.
Sexual assault is one of the most unreported crimes – most victims of rape don’t report it, “with 68% still being left unreported” indicates the anti-sexual assault organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network). They indicate that out of 100 rapes, 32 get reported, 7 lead to arrest, 2 lead to a felony conviction, and only 2 will spend time in prison. Is it any wonder why rape isn’t being reported – or in Cosby’s case, why it’s taken for long for some do so?
The Sex Crimes Unit of the Investigative Section-Sexual Assault Squad, Toronto, Canada cites the following reasons sexual assault isn’t being reported:
- belief that the police could do nothing about it (50% of women gave this reason)
- concern about the attitude of both police and the courts toward sexual assault (44%)
- fear of another assault by the offender (33%)
- fear and shame (64%)
With stats like this, I wonder how many women HAVEN’T come forward about Bill Cosby…
Actress Michell Hurd, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, is an example of someone who struggled with coming forward, by deleting information she posted on Facebook about both her and an anonymous friend – she doesn’t want to name – who both had negative encounters with Cosby.
Apparently, while being a stand in on The Cosby Show, Cosby subjected Hurd to “’weird acting exercises where he would move his hands up and down my body, (can’t believe I fell for that,)’” she indicated (USA Today, “More bad news for Bill Cosby with new allegations,” Nov 24). She said he also suggested she go to his place for a shower and to do her hair…at which point she listened to her “red flags” and told him “no.” She adds, “He told her not to tell anyone because other actors would become jealous.”
Unfortunately, Hurd’s friend – an example of someone that hasn’t come forward – also was a stand-in on the show did go to his house, “awoke, after being drugged, vomited, and then Cosby told her there’s a cab waiting for you outside” (USA Today, “More bad news for Bill Cosby with new allegations,” Nov 24). This woman is probably among one-of-many nameless victims.
And alleged rape victims aside, there’s a wealth of other information that supports these claims.
In my last post about Cosby, “Bill Cosby: What the Hell,” there was a variety of information provided that supported the rape allegations against him, such as:
- Previous NBC employee, Frank Scotti, now 90, indicated to USA Today that he felt “dirty” and like a “pimp” regularly bringing young women to Cosby’s dressing room, sending thousands of dollars to various women for him throughout the years, and realized Cosby wasn’t the man he initially thought.
- Cosby admitted having an affair with Shawn Brown (now Byers), one of the women that reported being raped by him, during an interview with Dan Rather, in 1997.
- Cosby laughs about drugging women’s drinks with Spanish Fly in his comedy album, called It’s True! It’s True! (1969).
- Cosby apparently covered his hide about these allegations in 1989 with a trade-off story to the National Enquirer, trashing his daughter instead – exposing her battle with drugs and alcohol – according to New York Post columnist Richard Johnson.
- These allegations have been going on for over a decade. “Cosby survived a civil lawsuit brought by 13 women in 2005,” According to Daily Mail. The problem isn’t going away.
These are just a few examples of information that supports these rape allegations, in addition to all of the women that came forth. Yet sadly, with all of this information out there, some people still don’t want to shatter their illusion of a famed character from a TV show.
Are we so easily fooled by the “all-around-good-guy” character someone pretends to be? People need to remember that he’s an ACTOR, and obviously a very good one!
I find it sad that in people’s awe-struck states when it comes to celebrities, they deny the pain that has been caused to others. I also believe that even given the ‘statute of limitations’ Cosby should legally be held accountable.
Once again, “we can sit passively, thinking things like this won’t ever touch us or our loved ones, or we can support zero tolerance by keeping it in the public forefront, until something is done” (C. Patterson, Bill Cosby: What the Hell, 2014).
Related post:
Bill Cosby: What the Hell
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