Five of the dozen or so women who have accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault appeared during a joint interview that aired Monday evening to condemn the famed actor and comedian in primetime.
“It’s unbelievable to be in the presence of these great women. It’s a sisterhood,” Barbara Bowman, whose Washington Post op-ed last month helped reignite discussion about the allegations, said on CNN. “The glue that bonds us might be morbid and sad and awful, but … I feel very protective of these people.”
Bill Cosby’s Public Life in Photos
From their accounts of how Cosby allegedly raped them to the details of their traumatic experiences trying to recover, the women shared remarkably similar stories. They all said the actor had drugged and raped them; four of the five said they told someone in the immediate aftermath of the alleged crime, but were discouraged from going further. All five women said they have never sought financial compensation from Cosby and agreed they never would accept it.
“I want him to suffer like we’ve all suffered,” said P.J. Masten, who said she was assaulted by Cosby in 1979. Masten said she knows other women who have not yet come forward.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Trump’s Message Worked on Latino Men
- What Trump’s Win Could Mean for Housing
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Sleep Doctors Share the 1 Tip That’s Changed Their Lives
- Column: Let’s Bring Back Romance
- What It’s Like to Have Long COVID As a Kid
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com