Bill Cosby stands as a loveable American icon that has made many laugh throughout the years with his character Cliff Huxtable in the hit television show, “The Cosby Show.” The show often taught viewers lessons about life and painted a picture of a family that had its share of problems, but always found ways to find solutions through laughter. The new sexual abuse allegations in the news against Cosby are troubling. There are reports of abuse from over a dozen different women in his past. Cosby, now 77 years old, has never been criminally charged during any of the allegations, but in 2006 faced a civil suit settlement with one of his alleged victims.
A recent story now gaining traction in the news comes from actress Barbara Bowman who has stated Cosby assaulted her in 1985. In a recent Washington Post column, Bowman wrote about how she once admired and viewed Cosby as a father figure and how that trust was broken when she was a teenager and faced a series of assaults. Bowman claims she was drugged and raped by Cosby several times. I hope if this true, she receives the justice she has been seeking. Another alleged victim, model Janice Dickinson, has recently accused Cosby of drugging and assaulting her as well in 1982. In a recent Entertainment Tonight interview Dickinson claims she tried to tell her story in a 2002 book she released but Cosby and his lawyers tried to keep quiet the allegations.
According to a 2012 report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, “Nearly 18.3 percent of adult women and 1.4 percent of adult men experienced rape in their lifetimes.” In colleges across the country, many face sexual abuse at an even more alarming rate. According to that same CDC report, a national survey showed 37.4 percent of female rape victims were first raped between the ages of 18-24 years old and nearly 19 percent of undergraduate women had experienced attempted or completed sexual assault since entering college. These statistics are troubling to hear. I commend all of those who try to take a stand against their abusers and let their voices be heard and hope all of the rape victims who can’t be heard find the courage to do so one day.
The comedian had an upcoming guest appearance scheduled on the “Late Show with David Letterman” on CBS television network, but it was canceled shortly after the new allegations. According to USA Today, Netflix has also recently postponed the launch of Bill Cosby’s stand-up comedy special, “Bill Cosby 77,” originally scheduled for later this month.
Cosby has been on several interviews recently and has continued to stay silent on the situation, and rightfully so. In the past, Cosby has repeatedly said the allegations are not true. Sexual abuse allegations are serious and should be addressed in a court of law and not in a court of public opinion where it cannot be proven legally. That’s why many lawyers who represent clients in similar cases advise clients to stay silent or deny. John P. Schmitt, Cosby’s attorney, took up the case.
“Over the last several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Bill Cosby have resurfaced,” Schmitt said “The fact that they are being repeated does not make them true and that Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify the allegations with any comment.”
Even though I grew up a fan of Bill Cosby and the Cosby Show, I am beyond disappointed in these allegations. I myself am still a huge admirer of his life’s work to this day. Although, I will no longer be a fan of his if these allegations prove to be the truth. We live in a world where we idolize certain celebrities and public figures and sometimes forget they face the same issues and problems as the rest of society. Sexual abuse is a serious issue that cannot fully be judged based on allegations, but there should be evidence and a trial. I believe jumping to conclusions without proof would be the wrong move to make. We are immersed in sensationalized forms of mass media where it is easy to pass judgment before learning the objective facts. Rather than taking that approach, we should instead wait for the development of the situation and hope truth is brought to light.
