Rape allegations mount against Bill Cosby #1

[AlwaysShocked]

Does anyone other than me find that continuously present, beatific smile on Camille Cosby's face to be kind of creepy?

She never stopped with the smiling even at the end of the AP interview where Bill was obviously getting pissed with the interviewer and demanding that the portion with the questions about the sexual allegations be cut.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Does anyone other than me find that continuously present, beatific smile on Camille Cosby's face to be kind of creepy?

She never stopped with the smiling even at the end of the AP interview where Bill was obviously getting pissed with the interviewer and demanding that the portion with the questions about the sexual allegations be cut.

I don't know if I'd use the word creepy, but disturbing definitely comes to mind.

 

[Donjeta]

It is disturbing because it's so incongruent with the situation. Assuming she's not getting on with dementia and has not been shielded from the news and isn't going deaf and hasn't lost her ability to process speech and isn't on some happypills that make everything look like butterflies and candyfloss , she should have been angry and anxious and stressed, not smiling.

Either way. Whether she believes him or not. It doesn't matter imo, whether you believe your husband is a serial rapist, or whether you believe he's a good guy who has been wrongly accused of serial rape, either way it would have been an extremely stressful situation to sit at an interview where the interviewer asks about the allegations and the hubby is getting angry about it. You just don't expect to see a real, genuine smile in such a situation. Which makes you think it's not a genuine smile, which makes you wonder what kind of storm it's covering up, which makes the whole thing seem disturbing and creepy.

I suppose some spouses of sociopathic characters and celebrity couples under the spotlight might have spent so much mental energy trying to convince everyone including themselves that their spouse is not a philandering cheat at best and an abusive criminal at worst that the forced smile stagnates into a cramped permanent expression. Or if they're secretly afraid of him the smile could develop into a shield to avoid annoying him with tears, anxiety, questions etc.

 

[Trino]

I suppose I'll take a WS beating for this post, but I'll express this anyway.

I've asked this before: what do these women want? It now seems obvious that the current civil suit is about to answer that question. Money will make her feel better. That's what a civil suit is all about.

Maybe Cosby did this, but it's strange that 17 (19?) women didn't have courage enough to get a good attorney and stand up to Cosby, especially with one being rescued by her boyfriend who would have made a perfect witness. IMO some of these women are joining the band.

 

[Slebby]

I suppose I'll take a WS beating for this post, but I'll express this anyway.

I've asked this before: what do these women want? It now seems obvious that the current civil suit is about to answer that question. Money will make her feel better. That's what a civil suit is all about.

Maybe Cosby did this, but it's strange that 17 (19?) women didn't have courage enough to get a good attorney and stand up to Cosby, especially with one being rescued by her boyfriend who would have made a perfect witness. IMO some of these women are joining the band.

I'll try not to give you a beating.
First - what do they want? My guess is that they want exactly what they are now getting - they want to be heard. They want to be believed. They want the world to know the truth about this man that so many have revered for decades. They have suffered in many ways over the years after the encounter with Cosby. Maybe getting it out there, and doing the only thing they can - outing him as a creep and a rapist - can help them overcome that suffering to some degree.

You say it is strange that 17 or 19 women did not have courage enough to get a good attorney. One, I suggest you take a look at rape statistics, and see the low percentage of rapes that are actually ever reported. Two, the ones who did tell someone about it were disbelieved - one woman went to a lawyer who laughed at her. Three - when it happened to each of them individually, they did not know there were more than a dozen others who had experienced the same thing. They felt very much alone with their rape experience with this pillar of the entertainment industry. This is why I am so glad for the way this story is finally coming to light - there is safety in numbers, there are other women who say "yes, we believe you because it happened to us".


Some of these women are joining the band" - I don't know what they have to gain. Who wants the so-called 15 minutes of fame so they can describe being tricked with promises of career assistance, drugged, vomitting, waking up with semen on their bodies - woo hoo, I'm famous?? Would that make you feel famous?

IMHO

Edit to add: here's a source of rape info for you. Educate yourself. https://www.rainn.org/statistics

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Great post Slebby!

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Cosby Lawyer's Wife Pressured to Cut Ties With Rape Foundation

Hollywood lawyer Marty Singer is defending Bill Cosby against multiplying allegations of rape, even while his wife, Deena Singer, has been helping rape victims for years as a volunteer for the Rape Foundation in Los Angeles.

Deena is said to be under pressure to step down from the foundation’s Support Council because her husband has been attacking the credibility of Cosby’s accusers, a group that now numbers at least 19 women.

“What he’s doing goes against everything this organization stands for,” one source told me. “Singer is accusing these women of making up lies.”

Singer said, “People can attack me, but don’t attack my wife. It’s a blessing what she does. No one has asked her to resign.”

http://pagesix.com/2014/12/03/cosby-lawyers-wife-pressured-to-cut-ties-with-rape-group/

 

[Trino]

I'll try not to give you a beating.
First - what do they want? My guess is that they want exactly what they are now getting - they want to be heard. They want to be believed. They want the world to know the truth about this man that so many have revered for decades. They have suffered in many ways over the years after the encounter with Cosby. Maybe getting it out there, and doing the only thing they can - outing him as a creep and a rapist - can help them overcome that suffering to some degree.

You say it is strange that 17 or 19 women did not have courage enough to get a good attorney. One, I suggest you take a look at rape statistics, and see the low percentage of rapes that are actually ever reported. Two, the ones who did tell someone about it were disbelieved - one woman went to a lawyer who laughed at her. Three - when it happened to each of them individually, they did not know there were more than a dozen others who had experienced the same thing. They felt very much alone with their rape experience with this pillar of the entertainment industry. This is why I am so glad for the way this story is finally coming to light - there is safety in numbers, there are other women who say "yes, we believe you because it happened to us".


Some of these women are joining the band" - I don't know what they have to gain. Who wants the so-called 15 minutes of fame so they can describe being tricked with promises of career assistance, drugged, vomitting, waking up with semen on their bodies - woo hoo, I'm famous?? Would that make you feel famous?

IMHO

Edit to add: here's a source of rape info for you. Educate yourself. https://www.rainn.org/statistics

I am already a very educated woman. By the way, put downs are not acceptable on WS, which this last comment clearly implies. I simply do not share your views - nothing to do with education.

You stated you don't know what these women have to gain? MONEY. For several million dollars (or more) there are plenty of women (and men) who would subject themselves to just about anything. The public soon forgets. I would guess in a few years no one will remember the accuser's names.

If the object is to be heard, why a civil suit? They are currently being heard. Money is not a part of being heard.

I guess one could consider me a courageous woman, especially since I posted my controversial opinions. I would definitely have "taken Cosby on" or anyone else no matter what. I would not have needed other people to help me make an accusation. Safety in numbers? What did they think, that Cosby was going to kill them? Please do not say things were different in the 1970's, 1980's, etc. People are people, no matter what the date.

 

[pomegranate]

I suppose I'll take a WS beating for this post, but I'll express this anyway.

I've asked this before: what do these women want? It now seems obvious that the current civil suit is about to answer that question. Money will make her feel better. That's what a civil suit is all about.

Maybe Cosby did this, but it's strange that 17 (19?) women didn't have courage enough to get a good attorney and stand up to Cosby, especially with one being rescued by her boyfriend who would have made a perfect witness. IMO some of these women are joining the band.

I answered you once before but it felt argumentative so i deleted it, because I don't mean it that way. But since you persist, I'm going to try to state my opinion rationally.

These women are individuals. My guess is that they want different things, probably a combination of things. Validation, justice, to help prevent this kind of assault from happening to others, I'm sure some of them do want compensation, to make the accused pay in some way because other forms of justice may not be open to them. Some may want revenge, and some may be acting at least partially out of greed. To that I say, so what?

My question is why are any of these motives "bad," in your opinion? I don't understand how any of these motives (in and of themselves) would invalidate any of the claims. Being greedy doesn't make someone a liar, and it doesn't make someone any less of a victim. As long as there is truth to the claim, I don't care if the motivation for making the claim is less than noble.

I am not certain that all of the people who have spoken out against Cosby are being completely truthful. How could I, or anyone except the people involved know at this point? But even if some of them are lying, that doesn't invalidate the claims of all the others. I could believe that maybe one, or two, or five of them are lying, maybe more, but not all of them. There is no way that I would believe that ALL of the rape and assault claims against Cosby are false. If only one person is telling the truth, then I think all of the public scrutiny of Cosby is justified.

This is all my opinion only, of course.

 

[Donjeta]

You know, somehow I would like to believe that these women are just making things up and looking for fame and fortune because it's the cool thing to be raped by Bill Cosby now... because the alternative is that there is a man who was able to harass, assault, violate, drug and rape 10, 15, 20, 25, who knows how many women, and get away with it for decades, able to hold a reputation for being some kind of a father figure and a moral pillar and America's daddy. I don't like that thought at all. It gives rise to all kinds of uncomfortable thoughts about people who must have known something and have protected him and people who should have known but chose to close their eyes and pretend and the chances of getting justice if you're rich and famous vs. if you're poor and insignificant.

But honestly I think it's impossible for Cosby to emerge from this with the moral pillar still standing. It just seems more likely to me that 20 women didn't report rape than 20 women make up stories just to get in the news. If someone is so desperate for attention they'd kind of get lost in the crowd by now as no one ever manages to even list the names of all the accusers in the same list at the same time any more. I think safety in numbers is an advantage for the real victims but it wouldn't be for the fake ones. If you're the only accuser you might get more attention but if you're the 26th to come up with a similar story lots of people yawn and forget your name. Also, many of these stories they're reporting are so old and if the chances of it even making it to the court depend on Cosby waiving his statute of limitations... if you're looking for a fast buck and are going to make up some lies, why wouldn't you make up lies about something that happened a bit more recently so that he's still sueable? Maybe invent lies with a couple of pals who will support your story and share the dollars? Why invent a story where you willingly went to a bedroom with him and willingly took some unknown pills from him because it gives him the defense that it was all consensual and you just twisted it around later because you regretted it, when you could make up a story where he secretly slipped something in your drink and you woke up in his bedroom not knowing how you got there?

 

[matou]

The ring of truth for these allegations is the drugging of his victims
Too many similar stories to be false imo.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

I suppose I'll take a WS beating for this post, but I'll express this anyway.

I've asked this before: what do these women want? It now seems obvious that the current civil suit is about to answer that question. Money will make her feel better. That's what a civil suit is all about.

Maybe Cosby did this, but it's strange that 17 (19?) women didn't have courage enough to get a good attorney and stand up to Cosby, especially with one being rescued by her boyfriend who would have made a perfect witness. IMO some of these women are joining the band.

You have asked this before, and been answered before. Yet you keep asking. Why is that?

Maybe you think if you ask enough times, someone will come out and say "MONEY! Yes! That's what these women want!"

If so, I'll help you out.

YES, these women want money! Lots of money! As much money as they can get!

And I say, whatever money they can get out of it, good for them! Because there isn't enough money in the entire world to compensate for the pain, suffering, and trauma Bill Cosby inflicted on them.

 

[Slebby]

I am already a very educated woman. By the way, put downs are not acceptable on WS, which this last comment clearly implies. I simply do not share your views - nothing to do with education.

You stated you don't know what these women have to gain? MONEY. For several million dollars (or more) there are plenty of women (and men) who would subject themselves to just about anything. The public soon forgets. I would guess in a few years no one will remember the accuser's names.

If the object is to be heard, why a civil suit? They are currently being heard. Money is not a part of being heard.

I guess one could consider me a courageous woman, especially since I posted my controversial opinions. I would definitely have "taken Cosby on" or anyone else no matter what. I would not have needed other people to help me make an accusation. Safety in numbers? What did they think, that Cosby was going to kill them? Please do not say things were different in the 1970's, 1980's, etc. People are people, no matter what the date.

There was no put down, but by all means, report the comment if you feel it has violated WS terms.

By "educate yourself" I meant "inform yourself", and the reason I said this is because many of your comments reflect common misconceptions about rape, and those misconceptions can be cleared up by being better informed or better educated about rape. I then provided a helpful link to assist you in becoming better informed. I hope you took the time to read through some of the information provided at the link.

If there is a civil suit, it is still in its early stages. Time will tell if it goes forward or not. Suing someone, imo, does not invalidate the facts of their victimhood. You may see it differently.

The value of a civil suit, imo lies in the fact that a criminal prosecution is not possible. If they proceed civilly and are successful, it will provide a measure of justice. He won't have criminal record nor will he be incarcerated. I'd say he's getting off light.

If, God forbid, you were a victim of rape by a Cosby or by anyone, and you courageously took him on, as you claim you would do, you would fall into the statistical minority of victims who report, as 60% of rapes are not reported. If your rapist were to find himself in jail, he would be part of the 3% of rapists who ever serve time for the crime. So how courageous you are has no bearing on how another victim might choose to deal with her experience of rape.

IMO

 

[Nova]

I suppose I'll take a WS beating for this post, but I'll express this anyway.

I've asked this before: what do these women want? It now seems obvious that the current civil suit is about to answer that question. Money will make her feel better. That's what a civil suit is all about.

Maybe Cosby did this, but it's strange that 17 (19?) women didn't have courage enough to get a good attorney and stand up to Cosby, especially with one being rescued by her boyfriend who would have made a perfect witness. IMO some of these women are joining the band.

You may be right (though I believe the expression in English is "jumping on the bandwagon"; at least it was when I studied the language of persuasion and/or advertising). But when I think of my female friends of the early 1970s, I can remember many who had been raped and yet decided not to pursue her day in court. It was VERY difficult to win such a case back then, and the damage to an accuser's reputation was considerable!

I think we may have heard from only a fraction of the women assaulted by such a powerful man in the decades between 1970 and 2000. Not that I can prove there are more victims, of course, but I will have no trouble believing even more women if they come forward.

 

[Donjeta]

It's more difficult to report when it's a famous person I think.

If you report a regular joe and have to live through it all over again in the depositions and then his lawyers destroy your reputation in court it would be very painful but generally the story would be of limited interest to a number of local people and you could move somewhere where no one ever heard a thing about it (at least, you could before everyone's life was laid out on FB and google)

But sue somebody who is in the TV every Friday night and if his lawyers destroy your reputation in court millions of people would "know" that you're a *advertiser censored* who lies to get money from rich peeps.

 

[Slebby]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/co...um=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=Pic:2:Default

 

[rosemadderlake]

EXCLUSIVE: Passed around by Bill Cosby, Hugh Hefner and dozens of Hollywood honchos - this is the Playboy Playmate of the Month who felt so used and abused by the most powerful leading men she took a gun and shot herself in the head

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-powerful-leading-men-took-gun-shot-head.html

(imo) Deconstructing this culture in the 70's is not going to be easy. -But there were abundant victims and fatalities.

 

[rosemadderlake]

Gloria Steinem on consent and sexual assault: “Since when is hearing ‘yes’ a turnoff?”

“Until now, this has been the state of affairs in our nation’s laws on sexual assault. Invading bodies has been taken less seriously by the law than invading private property, even though body-invasion is far more traumatic. This has remained an unspoken bias of patriarchal law. After all, women were property until very recently. In some countries, they still are.”

http://www.salon.com/2014/09/05/glo..._assault_since_when_is_hearing_yes_a_turnoff/

(imo) Not so long ago women were property... curious to see if GS will weigh in on the BC case...

 

[rosemadderlake]

Camille Paglia: The Modern Campus Cannot Comprehend Evil

Young women today do not understand the fragility of civilization and the constant nearness of savage nature

“There is a ritualistic symbolism at work in sex crime that most women do not grasp and therefore cannot arm themselves against. It is well-established that the visual faculties play a bigger role in male sexuality, which accounts for the greater male interest in *advertiser censored*. The sexual stalker, who is often an alienated loser consumed with his own failures, is motivated by an atavistic hunting reflex. He is called a predator precisely because he turns his victims into prey.”

http://time.com/3444749/camille-paglia-the-modern-campus-cannot-comprehend-evil/

(imo) I think this generation of women, and the collective voices coming forward on the BC case want change for the next generation.

 

[Slebby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/o...sensual-sex-on-campus.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1

"SUPPOSE someone you know slightly arrives at your home, baggage and all, and just barges in and stays overnight. When you protest, the response is, “Well, you didn’t say no.”

Or imagine that a man breaks into your home while you sleep off a night of drunken revelry, and robs you blind. Did your drinking imply consent?

Until now, this has been the state of affairs in our nation’s laws on sexual assault. Invading bodies has been taken less seriously by the law than invading private property, even though body-invasion is far more traumatic. "