Bill Cosby rape allegations

[seagull70]

Only allegations at this stage but more and more women are coming forward with stories of rape and sexual assault.

The comments left by people online remind me very much of the comments when allegations first started surfacing about Jimmy Saville (mainly victim blaming and disbelief that a national treasure could be responsible for such a thing).

The comments in the American press are horrible

www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2014/11/20/two-new-bill-cosby-accusers-lou-ferrigno-therese-serignese/70011214/

AIBU to think that these allegations are only the tip of the iceberg?

[Bulbasaur]

Cases like this make me wonder if the USA is a lot more lenient on sex abusers than the UK. I hope I'm wrong and it's just my perception

The law is much more lenient on rich people.

US culture is pretty shitty with its victims though. We do not like losing, and we do not like losers. Look how the US treated the Vietnam vets who lost the war. We love the underdogs winning, we despise it when they lose. So shooting a rapist in the head will mark you a hero, while reporting a rape will have people scrutinizing you and your intentions.

It's horrible, but that's how our culture operates. It does seem that the tide is turning a bit though and we're being more sympathetic to our victims of any crime. It's going to take a while as all the old people with these old school beliefs die off and younger people take over.

[SevenZarkSeven]

the wiki page on statute of limitations is quite interesting. Apparently we are quite unusual in not really going in for it for criminal stuff, including in Europe. Australia it looks like they are thinking about changing for child abuse due to the time it takes victims to come forward.

Funny isn't it, how immersed in your own culture you are. The idea of having this seems bizarre to me but actually it seems to be the UK who are unusual.

[CatKisser]

NoArmani, that link is the most disgusting fucking thing I've ever read. What a fucked up country to allow that to happen. I'm beyond angry this world sometimes.

[SevenZarkSeven]

Is there a good argument being put out for keeping it Bulbasaur? Is it a topic under discussion in the US generally at the mo?

[Bulbasaur]

I'm not saying it's right. Hopefully this case will help highlight to law makers why they need to lift the statute of limitations. Until now, I don't think very many people are aware of these laws until they're faced with the situation.

[NoArmaniNoPunani]

Cases like this make me wonder if the USA is a lot more lenient on sex abusers than the UK. I hope I'm wrong and it's just my perception
www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/dupont-heir-robert-h-richards-dodges-prison-after-raping-threeyear-old-daughter-because-he-wouldnt-fare-well-in-jail-9228217.html

[SevenZarkSeven]

So in this case where there will be no trial you want no-one to consider the possibility / express the opinion that he might have done it.

That he must be treated as innocent by everyone everywhere as there will never be a trial and so he's innocent.

Of course it is very likely that 22 unrelated women have all told similar stories about him because women do generally lie about this sort of thing. So as it stands and with no trial all on this thread and everywhere else must proclaim that he is innocent and all those women are lying.

Gotcha.

[YouTheCat]

One of the people who has come forward is Lou Ferrigno's wife.

[FamiliesShareGerms]

I don't personally agree with the statute of limitations (or double jeopardy), but I do agree that there should be a proper judicial process to reach a guilty verdict rather than "lots of people said it so it must be true" (or "the king / baron / rich person said it so it must be true")

[SevenZarkSeven]

Having a few years limit on telling / bringing to trial does seem to work against victims of sex crimes especially if they are young when it happens.


If it were the case in the UK then people who are in prison now would be free.

I read the thinking behind it on wiki just now and it just doesn't make sense to me. The reasons given just don't work for sex crimes.

I am glad we don't have such a rule in the UK. If someone has committed a crime, especially one as heinous as rape, then when it comes to light it needs to be pursued and prosecuted. That seems obvious to me but then it's my country and what I'm used to so I would say that.

I mean if he was raping people in say the 80s or 90s he needs to be done for that right?

[micah]

emotionless and mean humour

Exactly. I always thought he was very unfunny. And in some ways racist, as the shows I saw were always 100% black actors. Occasionally a token white bit parter who was poked fun at for not being black then dismissed, as really they wouldn't want to associate with them. I sometimes wondered if he was trying to make a point, but always came back to him just not being a nice person.

I hated him. Always got his laugh by being mean to others. Classic bully. Even before these allegations.

[SevenZarkSeven]

Bulbasaur 22 witnesses is plenty of proof to bring a prosecution. He would be tried in the UK. People like DLT and Max Clifford have been sent down.

[seagull70]

I think that the Saville case gave victims the courage to come forward and speak out against other 'celebs' though.

Maybe this will also now happen in the US. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.

[seagull70]

Yes EachandEveryone and he's receiving standing ovations

[BeenThereGotTheTShirt]

On the radio they were saying that it is odd if he isn't either defending himself or suing for defamation of character. The key point being that telling the truth is a defence against being sued for defaming someone, so legally he is best off saying nothing.

[Meechimoo]

his eyes are dead. I always thought that. Emotionless and mean humour.

[EachandEveryone]

Peers not pears!

[EachandEveryone]

Nothing will be done about it anyway. I think ten years is the max time you have in some states it's two!

At his age it will hardly affect him. I don't know much about him just that I loved the show. Was he well liked and respected amongst his pears? Did Oprah ever have him on? Cos she can usually see right through people and they are a similar generation. Was he courted at the Whitehouse? Was he the king of his castle? I think you'd have to be in a America at that time to know how big he was.

I believe he's playing a stand up comedy show tonight

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yes but unfortunately he's a very old man and had years of fame and fortune. He's hardly going to be paying for it now.

Got away with it for decades.

[raltheraffe]

If he is a serial rapist it would be very odd for this behaviour to just stop all of a sudden. If he has done this there may be more recent victims who will hopefully speak out and then he will face the courts.

[Bulbasaur]

Maybe it's just easier to victim blame and deny, than to admit that your countries fucked up judicial system allows a serial rapist to walk free.

Our country's judicial system is fucked up for more reasons than just that. The fact that he was able to pay off a victim and the case dropped is telling enough of how fucked our system is.

But, I think even in UK, he wouldn't be able to be prosecuted due to lack of proof.

His career is over, his legacy is trashed. No one will host his shows. That's the best anyone can really do for the victims.

[PiperIsTerrysChoclateOrange]

I believe the victims.

I can understand 1 making it up but 22 is very unlikely.

[SevenZarkSeven]

I mean, it looks damn likely that he is a serial sex offender and by the looks of it, under their legal system, he will never be prosecuted for any of it.

I can't see that as a good thing.

[Failedspinster]

I'd bet my shirt that he did it.

[SevenZarkSeven]

What about the statute of limitations but that we don;t have, families?