The Bill Cosby Mistrial: Women Deserve Better (Op-Ed)
Jonathan C. Zaback, Chief Growth Officer, Principal, Vaya, LLC
When does it stop? When does celebrity stop being a shield of comfort like a warm blanket? Before my mother passed away, she had been a prosecutor and head of the domestic violence unit in our county. She was a powerful figure in my eyes and defended the rights of women in our county and the public stories of her trials were cringe worthy. And yes, she dealt with high profile male defendants during her tenure as a prosecutor. So I've been up close and personal to the privileges high profile individuals get in the legal system.
Bill Cosby is just the latest in a line of examples of celebrity men getting away with treating women like objects, and not people. Let's take a step back here for a moment and think about the facts. As many as 40 women accused Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct. This was not some one-off accusation, we are taking dozens of women who feel violated. Where is the law for them? Whether in the boardroom or the courtroom, women are fighting for respect and divinity that should not need to be fought for.
The Cosby jury was hung after five days, yet Mr. Cosby never took the stand. Only one woman testified, Andrea Constand. The details of her testimony about Bill Cosby referring to his blue pills as "friends" sounds like typical frat house shenanigans. And yes, fraternity members, like celebrities, feel protected in a bubble of popularity. I was a fraternity member in college and luckily went to a university that did not stand for disrespecting of women.
This mistrial shows that sexual assault laws must change! And while everyone has the right to be heard, I pity the public relations professional spinning the Cosby trial with the media. I feel bad for any parent that needs to explain to their daughters. There are too many unanswered questions left to not retry Bill Cosby and hear from the many accusers, as well as from the man himself.
I don't care that Bill Cosby is blind. I don't care that Bill Cosby is black. I don't care that Bill Cosby is 79 and would die in prison. And I certainly don't care about Bill Cosby playing lovable characters on television. What I do care about is the women who were paralyzed both mentally and physically by drugs and raped by Bill Cosby.
Women needs to know the law is on their side. And our legal system, and our system of humanity, failed women everywhere with this mistrial. It's time for justice to be served and for Bill Cosby to stand trial again and have all testimonies heard.
[author]About the Author: Zaback is a 20+ year veteran of the marketing and technology industries. He is an expert in tackling the challenges and opportunities associated with making sure a company positively engages key internal and external stakeholders. His mindful and thoughtful approach has made him a magnet for influential leaders to help them problem-solve the most pressing issues facing their leadership tenures. He has advised individuals ranging from the presidents of Israel and Iceland to the C-suites of Bank of America, Accenture, Marsh & McLennan, and many other Fortune 100 companies. But at the core, his obsession is delivering positive results across the board while balancing the changing moods and priorities of consumers, clients, shareholders, boards of directors, and the C-suite. [/author]
