Bill Cosby Case: Women's stories follow a disturbing pattern

Comedian Bill Cosby has been accused of sexually misconduct by more than two dozen women over a period of several decades reports vox.com. Cosby, who was often referred to has the public 'moralist' in a court testimony admitted to purchasing drugs to give to women he wanted to sleep with.

According to the Vox report, the dates of the alleged incidents span from 1965 to 2004, but in many cases the women's stories often share the same basic narrative: Cosby offers a woman a cup of coffee or alcoholic beverage, after which he sexually assaults her while she is impaired or unconscious. In addition, a handful of other women have accused Cosby of drugging them without sexually assaulting them, or of inappropriate grabbing or kissing without drugging them.

The first public charges of assault came from Andrea Constand, who filed a 2005 civil suit against Cosby, as well as Tamara Green and Barbara Bowman, who provided testimony with similar charges. Eleven other anonymous women joined the suit with similar stories. The case settled out of court.

The women have told their stories of sexual assault in first-person pieces for magazines, interviews, and press conferences. Eight Jane Does from the Constand suit have chosen to remain anonymous.

The women who have come forward include lawyers, waitresses, aspiring actresses, and fellow celebrities, such as models Janice Dickinson and Beverly Johnson. Some had dating relationships with Cosby, while others say they saw him as a mentor. Some accusers say they were in their teens when Cosby assaulted them, such as Renita Chaney Hill, who acted alongside Cosby on the children's program Picture Pages. That many of them say they saw Cosby as someone who was trustworthy, admirable, and professional is a reminder of the many seemingly safe situations that can lead to allegations of sexual assault, and that rape isn't something women can avoid by modifying their dress or avoiding "dangerous" situations.

Feature Image Credit: Complex.com