Retired cop's rant about why Cosby accusers took so long to complain about alleged sexual assaults.

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Yes I am SCREAMING. It's because I promised to if I heard just one more person ask why it would take so long for Bill Cosby's accusers to say they were sexually assaulted. Good grief, we heard it with the Jerry Sandusky case and now they're back! Oh, no"...

I'm thinking it's my unique perspective of having 28 years of law enforcement experience, having counseled rape victims for a master's thesis, research, and holding a doctorate in criminology and criminal justice that causes me not to ask such an outrageous question. Here a few things I know about survivors of rape:

+ They often blame themselves

+ They often second-guess themselves

+ They often feel shame and embarrassment

+ Talking about the assault can feel like living through it all over again

+ They don't think anyone will believe them especially if they know the offender

+ They know they are going to be put through the wringer by just about everybody including family and friends

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Often = A victim deciding to handle the matter alone by keeping the ugly and harmful crime secret while trying to forget the whole thing. (Even the women cops I surveyed feel this way.) No wonder sexual assault is the most under-reported crime!

The fact that a crime is not reported until years later does not mean that an offense was never committed. Given that a victim can be drugged and raped, there may only be one person who knows for sure if a sexual assault occurred and that's the offender - regardless of his ability to obtain sex from others willingly. I also get annoyed when I hear the argument that goes like this: "He has so much money that he can buy any woman he wants; he does not have to take it." But the thing about rapists is that they apparently experience pleasure by exerting power and control over their victims. Is Bill Cosby capable of such horrific behavior?

Good people do bad things and bad people do good things. People are not one-dimensional. Despite peddling poison, some of the drug dealers I investigated were philanthropists and gentle in nature. Conversely, I've seen highly respected cops turn out to be capable of even premeditated murder. So yes it is possible that a person such as Bill Cosby may have engaged in crimes despite a nation's adoration. Perhaps the ambivalence comes from having to consider that someone who could play an honorable Dr. Huxtable character could simultaneously be a monstrous Mr. Hyde. But the fact that a person is an exceptional entertainer alone should not dismiss numerous allegations of sexual assault. Since rape victims are not perfect either, they worry about being judged and having their past sexual indiscretions brought to light.

So these are some of the reasons I don't wonder why it would take a sexual assault victim a long time before disclosing rape. I don't ask the question because I'm informed and now so are you. I've got a lot more things about crime that tick me off and can rant about, but I'll do so only if anyone is listening. If you want to hear more about what makes a cop want to scream - post a comment and I'll bring it.

(Article changed on December 6, 2014 at 09:44)

Authors Bio:
DEA Special Agent in Charge (retired) June Werdlow Rogers (formerly June W. Stansbury) holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice and Criminology earned at the University of Maryland. She has 28 years of law enforcement experience from 3 different agencies including the Detroit Police Department and Central Michigan University's Department of Public Safety.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers is the Author of Becoming Ethically Marketable: A Guide for Criminal Justice Majors and Recruits (available from staggspublishing.com). She also was a contributing author in the book Police Psychology into the 21st Century (Kurke and Scrivner) writing chapter 11 on Counseling and Diversity Issues (available through amazon. Ms. Werdlow Rogers' newest book CRACKING THE DOUBLE STANDARD CODE: A Guide to Successful Navigation in the Workplace is scheduled for release on June 1, 2010 by Cable Publishing (cablepublishing). Other articles written by Ms. Werdlow Rogers may be accessed at her expert page.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers has been a speaker on numerous occasions among diverse audiences, including national professional conferences, colleges and universities, and at numerous training seminars. She has made public appearances on television and radio, and is heavily quoted in printed media accessible on the internet.

Ms. Werdlow Rogers has received numerous awards. She has held membership in many organizations including the International Association of the Chiefs of Police, the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, served on the executive staff for the Interagency Committed of Women in Federal Law Enforcement (ICWIFLE), and was at one time a church trustee. Moreover, Ms. Werdlow Rogers developed a videotape and presentation entitled "Dangerous Liaisons: Drug Dealers and You," designed to inform people about the dangers of involvement with drug dealers, and to provide information about how drug dealers behaviorally operate. She continues to educate community groups in a presentation entitled "Risky Business: How to Avoid Involvement in the Drug Trade," in an effort to reduce drug facilitation. In 2007, her efforts led to the nationally recognized Generations Rx: Children in the Medicine Cabinet, a public awareness effort aimed at reducing pharmaceutical drug abuse through a unique forum. This novel campaign piloted in Brockton, MA offered a drug identification and drop zone, permitting the public, for the first time, to properly dispose of unwanted drugs and learn the identity of any surrendered drug that the participants suspected was being abused by loved ones.