Fuck Bill Cosby

Trigger/Content Warning: Sexual Assault, Bill Cosby's Trial

As most of America knows, Bill Cosby is currently on trial for sexual assault.  Though literally dozens of women have accused Cosby of nearly identical assaults, using pills to drug them before raping them, only one of these is coming to trial (though a second woman testified during this trial).  The other instances are beyond the statute of limitations (I will save the discussion of whether there should be statutes of limitations for sexual assault for another time).

Cosby has chosen not to testify at his trial.  However, he has made statements to the police in the past about these accusations, which were read at the trial.  The following is from CNN.

'In statements to police and in his civil deposition, the comedian known as "America's Dad" admitted that he gave Constand pills and then engaged in sexual contact with her. He also said that he had previously obtained Quaaludes, a powerful sedative, with the intention of giving them to women with whom he wanted to have sex.

Cosby's defense attorneys argue that his sexual contact with Constand was part of a consensual relationship between the two. They said that Constand's initial statements to police were full of inconsistencies that undermine the truthfulness of her story."

The part of this I really want to focus on is the following: "Cosby's defense attorneys argue that his sexual contact with Constand was part of a consensual relationship between the two."  This is the epitome of rape culture in action.  Let me say this as bluntly as possible: one can be in a consensual relationship with that person and still be assaulted by the person they are in that relationship with!  That I even have to explain this, that such a shit argument would come up in court and be taking fucking seriously, is rape culture in action. That this is followed up by an attack on the survivor, questioning her honesty, only makes it fucking worse.

Up until 1979 it remained legal--LEGAL--for a man to rape his wife in America (or, which is to say the same thing, up until 1979 it was legally impossible for a wife to accuse her husband of rape; marriage counted as consent in the courts).  Donald Trump and his defenders, including a fucking lawyer, seem to still be unaware that such assaults are possible.  Of course, Cosby was not married to the very many women he raped and his wife seems to be standing by him.  The point, though, is that one can be in a relationship with a person and can still commit acts of sexual assault against that same person!!  Assault is not about a relationship type, assault is about whether or not someone has consented to the activity being engaged in!  I cannot believe that I have to explain this, but if someone has been drugged then they cannot consent to an activity; if they cannot consent to an activity, then they are being raped.  That's the point!  Anyone who says otherwise can fucking go to hell.