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Another Woman Claims to Have Been Sexually Abused by Bill Cosby
Another woman has come forward with claims that she was sexually abused by Bill Cosby. On Sunday, publicist Joan Tarshis wrote an essay for Hollywood Elsewhere detailing the two times she says she was raped in 1969. At the time, Tarshis was staying with two women who were friends with Cosby. After their first meeting over lunch, Tarshis says she was invited to visit Cosby on set. "One day he asked me to stay after the shooting and work on some material with him," she says. "I was even more flattered and thought this would help move my writing career along...
Another woman has come forward with claims that she was sexually abused by Bill Cosby.
On Sunday, publicist Joan Tarshis wrote an essay for Hollywood Elsewhere detailing the two times she says she was raped in 1969. At the time, Tarshis was staying with two women who were friends with Cosby. After their first meeting over lunch, Tarshis says she was invited to visit Cosby on set.
"One day he asked me to stay after the shooting and work on some material with him," she says. "I was even more flattered and thought this would help move my writing career along... The next thing I remember was coming to on his couch while being undressed. Through the haze I thought I was being clever when I told him I had an infection and he would catch it and his wife would know he had sex with someone. But he just found another orifice to use. I was sickened by what was happening to me and shocked that this man I had idolized was now raping me. Of course I told no one."
Another Bill Cosby appearance is canceled as rape allegations continue to swirl
Last week, Cosby canceled an upcoming appearance in the wake of renewed allegations stemming from The Washington Post's op-ed piece by one of the actor's accusers. A few days earlier, a meme generator on Cosby's website was removed after people used it to create memes that posted accusations of rape on photos of him. Last month while performing stand-up, comedian Hannibal Buress said Cosby raped several young women. He then told the audience members to "Google it" as proof of the allegations. The video of his performance went viral.
Tarshis says she didn't initially speak up because she felt ashamed.
"It took me about 20 years to admit this to anyone," she says. "My girlfriend, who was a cartoonist, told me she had heard rumors about Cosby, and believed them. She always thought where there's smoke there's fire... I had heard and/or strongly suspected I was not the only white girl he had drugged and raped, but I never had any proof. No one began talking until 2004. And though I knew I should say something, I still felt ashamed. Ashamed that I didn't earlier. In any event now, as more and more of his rape victims have come forward, all telling similar stories, the time is right to join them."