According to a Nov. 2014 Washington Post article, “Sixteen women have publicly stated that Bill Cosby sexually assaulted them, with 12 of them saying he drugged them first and another saying he attempted to drug her.”

It started in 2002, when a woman alleged in a police report that Cosby made unwanted advances toward her in his apartment. By 2006 a number of other women reported that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them. However, because his actions happened so long ago, the police could not prove them and no charges were brought.

In Oct. 2014 comedian Hannibal Buress did an extended commentary about the rape charges at a show in Cosby’s home town of Philadelphia. “Bill Cosby has the […] smuggest old black man public persona that I hate,” Buress said. “Pull your pants up, black people.  I was on TV in the ’80s.  I can talk down to you because I had a successful sitcom.”  The theme about Bill Cosby the rapist got picked up again by the press, and there was a big discussion.

Also in Oct. 2014 Barbara Bowman penned an op-ed in the Washington Post, titled “Bill Cosby raped me. Why did it take 30 years for people to believe my story?”  She notes that “Only after a man … called Bill Cosby a rapist in a comedy act last month did the public outcry begin in earnest.”

A new wave of women broke their silence and reported that Bill Cosby had also sexually assaulted them. So far, 19 women have publicly accused Cosby of assaulting them.  Some of the women reported that they went to the police and newspapers a few days after they had been assaulted, but nobody believed them. The women felt that the police and the newspapers protected Cosby.  Also, a few of the women said that Cosby paid them money so that they would not publicize their stories.

When Cosby was asked in a radio interview about the abuse, Cosby shook his head.  In an interview in an art museum, Cosby was asked again about the allegations, but he just repeated “No comment.”  He still has not said anything about the claims that have been made against him.

Till Hambörger, Staff Writer

Junior Till Hambörger is a staff writer for the 2014-2015 Colonel. He is a foreign exchange student from Germany.