Democratic strategist Juanita Tolliver says it shouldn’t take a flood of women coming forward as sexual assault survivors for their allegations to be heard and be taken seriously.
“Every survivor who has the bravery and courage to step forward and heard should be believed and heard,” Tolliver, a campaigns director at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, told Hill.TV’s Buck Sexton and Krystal Ball on “Rising.”
The strategist said she found this to be particularly disappointing in Bill Cosby’s case. The comedian was sentenced Tuesday to three to 10 years in prison after he was found guilty of drugging and assaulting athletics administrator Andrea Constand at his home in 2004.
“What is really frustrating in this case of Cosby is that this is 10 plus years of lawsuits, trials, and police reports that have finally yielded a guilty verdict and him being put behind bars and honestly, anyone who violated a woman, commits sexual assault, rapes women will be held accountable, and Bill Cosby is feeling that today,” Tolliver said.
More than 60 women have accused the former “Cosby Show” star of sexual misconduct, but Constand’s assault, which fell within Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations, is so far the only one that has resulted in criminal charges.
— Tess Bonn
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