Andrea Constand and Stacey Pinkerton tell their stories in new documentary

The victims of Bill Cosby’s alleged crimes no longer want to be a small part of the story, they are putting themselves at the forefront to ensure that we’re aware of their individual realities.

Andrea Constand claims she was assaulted by Cosby in 2004, and reported it to the police. She claimed Cosby, who she previously saw as a mentor, had drugged and assaulted her during a visit to his home.

The district attorney wouldn’t take the case to court as they didn’t think the evidence would lead to a conviction.

Constand launched a civil case in order and was given an offer to settle and an NDA. It was during this process she allegedly learnt that she was one of many women drugged and sexually assaulted by Cosby but the agreement meant she was unable to speak out about it.

A decade later comedian Hannibal Buress called Cosby ‘a rapist’ during a set, and things changed forever. The viral video led to more women coming forward – it currently stands at over 60.

Constand was able to get a trial, and she became the only victim to gain a criminal conviction in 2018, just a week before the statute of limitations was due to run out on her case.

Cosby was sentenced to three-10 years in prison but served less than three years as his conviction was overturned. His lawyers showed that Cosby had been given immunity from criminal prosecution after he gave his deposition in the earlier civil trial.

Following his release, Cosby said: ‘I have never changed my stance nor my story. I have always maintained my innocence.’

He has continued to deny the allegations.

Now, without an NDA, and after going through a process of healing Constand is ready to give her version of the story.

She believes it’s more important than ever to use her voice.

‘We want to bring the attention onto the survivors. I was very aware from the beginning how coverage was centred on Cosby being America’s dad. He got all the airtime and so many of the survivors’ stories were lost in it,’ she told Metro.co.uk.

‘I wanted to tell the uncomfortable side of the story, which is truly the damage that is done in a lot of survivors’ lives.’

Along with director Karen Wookey, she has worked on the ITV documentary, The Case Against Cosby. She is joined by five other alleged survivors who tell their stories and embark on group therapy at a retreat with cameras present.

Cosby has denied allegations (Picture: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)

‘It’s not something that is often shown on TV and it’s not easy to watch, but I think until we really get to see trauma play out and how uncomfortable it is then these predators will continue to wreak havoc on people’s lives.

‘One night can ultimately change your whole life. It’s not just the individual, it’s often the family too.

‘This should be required viewing for men and women everywhere.’

Constand stated: ‘It’s powerful, uncomfortable, but important.’

One woman heavily featured in the documentary is Stacey Pinkerton, who claims Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1986.

Constand and Pinkerton are firm friends. Their bond was instant when they met in court during Constand’s criminal court case against Cosby.

‘Andrea came into the courtroom with her family. She sat on the first row. I was sitting right behind her. It was my first time to be there and meet everyone who was present as a witness to testify Andrea’s story,’ Pinkerton recalled.

Constand saw Cosby as a mentor (Picture: Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)

‘I remember it was this very, very tense moment for her. I saw this tension in her back and I instinctively put my hands on her shoulders.’

Addressing Constand she said: ‘I didn’t ask for your consent, sorry’ before continuing. 

‘I put my hands on her shoulders just to kind of let her know I was there and she turned around. That’s the first time actually that we met. 

‘She’d been in my thoughts for a while though. I wanted to support her as soon as I found out about her and did in every way possible. I was living in Spain, and she was going through what she was going through in the United States, and so I flew over. 

‘We’re family now,’ she concluded.

Pinkerton has contributed to the documentary (Picture: Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)

‘When Stacy did touch my shoulders I knew there were other Cosby women there and so it was perfectly safe to do that,’ Constand explained.

‘She didn’t need my consent.’

While so many women have come forward against Cosby, Constand thinks it’s far from over and this two-part mini-series could lead to more people speaking out.

‘I know there are other women out there that have not come forward. They are out there. For a lot of people, it’s really about timing. Some people just got married, or they’ve got a family and they don’t want to admit it. 

‘The story’s not over,’ she powerfully stated.

‘When courageous and brave women step forward and are silence breakers, it becomes a movement. 

‘We hope this documentary is saying it’s okay to speak up, and not just Cobsy victims. Don’t have shame in your game.’

Both women also hope that the documentary has an uplifting message, and shows that you can make it through trauma.

Constand believes more women will come forward (Picture: Brendan Smialowski / AFP via Getty)

Constand, who founded the Hope Healing Tranformation foundation to empower sexual assault survivors and aid recoveries, said: ‘In life when you go through something traumatic you do have to go through the discomfort and the pain.

‘You need to acknowledge it and you will be able to reconnect to yourself in a very whole way. We’ve been able to become whole again and find a sense of purpose.

‘In 2004 I never imagined that I’d get to this point of feeling empowerment and happiness.’

‘If something happened to you, you can move on,’ Pinkerton added.

‘You can move forward, you can heal, you can live a purposeful life, and you can keep all your dreams. You won’t be defined by one incident forever. Don’t let it take away all your dreams. You can take your power back. The shame needs to be on the perpetrator.’

As well as the documentary, the pair are working together to make it easier for sexual assault victims to report crimes.

‘When you go through something traumatic, you can take a negative and make it a positive. That’s what we ultimately did,’ said Constand.

‘We’re going to make it easier for other survivors that might face what we’re facing. That’s what I want my legacy to be.

‘No change really happens unless you change the legal landscape. Predators are going to keep doing what they’re doing until the law catches up to them. We have to define what consent is and that’s part of what Stacy and I do together.

‘We have so much work to do. It helps us to think we’re improving society,’ Constand summarised.

One major goal of theirs is to change the amount of time victims have to report a crime.

‘People need to be able to come forward when they’re ready,’ Pinkerton told us.

‘It may take many years for some to come forward and then that time limit is already gone.’

In America, you usually have between three and 10 years to report a sexual assault. However, a few states have no statute of limitations.

‘I would like to see more support groups so silence isn’t an option for survivors. We want to give people voices,’ Constand added.

Pinkerton and Constand have both experienced women coming forward to tell them about their sexual assault, and it has, on occasion, been the first time they’ve spoken about it.

‘I draw a lot of strength from knowing that I have helped somebody. Something as simple as acknowledging their pain can be transformative for them,’ Constand explained.

They both ensure they are taking care of themselves to be in a position to help.

‘I found that I have to, still to this day, be distracted doing things. I started community theatre, and I’m doing productions now,’ Pinkerton explained.

‘I became a yoga teacher. We both are doing meditation. It’s whatever works for you and makes you happy.’

While Constand is doing monthly healing circles after finding traditional therapy could be limiting.

‘The therapist is not talking about their own trauma, they’re concealing who they are. A community can be helpful as it’s hard to heal alone. We have this mutual understanding of trauma which is very empowering.

‘It takes a village to recover, it really does.’

Constand and Pinkerton are many things now – courageous, happy and determined to name a few, but one word that they wouldn’t want to be associated with them is afraid.

‘Cosby does not scare us.’

Constand continued: ‘He has no power. His America’s dad days are gone. We, the Cosby survivors, shifted all that power onto the women. There’s power in numbers.’

The Case Against Cosby is available to view on ITVX

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‘Cosby does not scare us.’