Barbara Bowman is one of the 13 women who has come forth accusing Bill Cosby of sexual offenses. In a piece published in The Washington Post on Nov. 13, Bowman revealed details of the assault, which she writes occurred "multiple times" to the then-17-year-old actress in 1985.
In a Friday interview with HuffPost Live, Bowman spoke about the "slow and methodical and meticulous process" by which the veteran entertainer violated her.
"Bill Cosby didn't just walk into the room and start drugging me and touching me and being inappropriate with me," she told host Alyona Minkovski. "It was over a period of time."
The allegations received increased media attention this week after Cosby's Twitter page unintentionally invited the Internet to reference the rape claims brought against the 77-year-old actor. A video of comedian Hannibal Buress asking why the rape accusations have not be addressed went viral, prompting others to wonder why it took a man acknowledging the issue for the public to pay attention.
Bowman is familiar with this lack of regard for victims' testimony. She recalls "questioning" herself after her own experience, wondering if she was justified in considering herself a victim. She remembered thinking "Did this happen? It couldn't have happened, it's my imagination," she said. "Then, when I realized it did, or it probably did, and that gut feeling of sickness comes over you -- it's embarrassing. It's shameful. It's very, very scary."
That fear, Bowman explains, was exploited by her assaulter. "[Bill Cosby] is a very, very scary man and very using of mind manipulation," she said. "He really zeroed in on my insecurities and my vulnerabilities as a young woman."
HuffPost Live has reached out to Cosby's representative for comment, and we've yet to hear back.
Need help? In the U.S., visit the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline operated by RAINN. For more resources, visit the National Sexual Violence Resource Center's website.
Sign up here for Live Today, HuffPost Live's new morning email that will let you know the newsmakers, celebrities and politicians joining us that day and give you the best clips from the day before!