Rape and Sexual Assault

A former staffer for Eric Swalwell told CNN the congressman raped her back in 2024.

CNN ran the interview Friday afternoon ... hiding the woman's face to protect her anonymity while she told a story about meeting up with Swalwell for a drink in 2024.

This woman says she went to the bathroom at one point in the evening and completely blacked out ... only remembering a snippet of the night's events -- during which she says she remembers trying to force Swalwell off of her and telling him she didn't consent to sex with him.

Bill Cosby says he deserves another chance to defend himself from Donna Motsinger's allegations of rape ... partially because he says the jury awarded her way too much money.

The disgraced comedian's attorneys filed the documents in court Thursday ... asking a judge for a new trial after a jury ordered him to pay Motsinger nearly $60 million in total damages.

Cosby's team cites a variety of reasons ... including the previous judge not letting his lawyers cross-examine Motsinger for prior statements she made to the Cheltenham Police Department, and denied his lawyers the chance to present evidence of Motsinger's alleged prior drug use.

The Michael Jackson estate reportedly shelled out millions to cut any mention of child molestation accusations in the end of "Michael" ... and because of it, they now own a stake in the film.

The late singer's estate is estimated to have coughed up between $10M and $15M to complete "necessary" reshoots for the movie, according to Variety.

The publication reports the biopic was originally supposed to explore the impact that child molestation accusations had on Jackson's life ... but now there's not even a mention of the accusations, because of a clause in a settlement with one of Jackson's accusers. Jordan Chandler reportedly barred the mention of him in any movie.

Melissa Gilbert is jumping to the defense of her husband Timothy Busfield ... speaking out publicly for the first time since he was charged with sexual contact of a minor -- addressing prior sexual assault allegations she says she was aware of for a long time.

Gilbert -- who appeared on 'GMA' alongside her attorney Larry Stein -- says the past few months have been "traumatic," adding that she waited to speak until now after seeing what she describes as widespread misinformation.

During the interview ... George Stephanopoulos points to Busfield's criminal complaint, which references two prior sexual assault allegations back in 1994 and 2012 -- one of which was settled -- and asks Gilbert directly if she was aware.

Gigi Hadid is breaking her silence after her name popped up in the infamous Jeffrey Epstein files and she's making it crystal clear she had zero connection to the late sex offender.

In a now deleted comment responding to a fan online, Gigi said it made her "sick to my stomach" to see herself mentioned by Epstein -- someone she says she's never met or had any affiliation with.

She added it was "horrible" to read someone she's never even encountered speak about her that way, especially given the context.

The mention comes from a December 2015 email exchange between Epstein and another person, where the two questioned how Gigi and her sister Bella Hadid became successful models.

Melissa Gilbert is defending husband Timothy Busfield ... telling "Good Morning America" that navigating his child sex abuse charges has been "hell."

In a preview for her upcoming interview, the morning show -- her first since her husband's been charged -- she said this has been the "most traumatizing experience of our lives."

In the teaser for the sit-down, host George Stephanopoulos asks Melissa point-blank if she thinks the parents and the alleged victims are "just making this all up" ... and she reacts by looking up and off to the side.

'GMA' dropped the promo during Thursday's broadcast, and George told his cohosts that Melissa "had a lot to say to defend Tim Busfield" in the "provocative" interview.

Trevor Bauer is back on a U.S. mound … just not the one he used to dominate.

The former Cy Young winner has signed a deal with the Long Island Ducks -- an independent league club -- in what looks like his latest bid to claw his way back to Major League Baseball after years of controversy kept him sidelined.

Bauer, now 35, is expected to take the ball as the Ducks’ Opening Day starter on April 21 … but here’s the twist: he’ll be mic’d up the entire time -- turning every pitch and dugout convo into content for social media.

This isn’t your typical comeback tour -- it’s baseball meets reality TV.

President Trump's administration is seeking answers from Spain over a woman's voluntary death.

Noelia Castillo Ramos voluntarily underwent a euthanasia procedure earlier this month ... and now The New York Post is reporting Trump's State Department is instructing the U.S. Embassy in Madrid to open a probe into the matter.

As we reported ... Noelia's tragic decision to opt for euthanasia at age 25 came after a past suicide attempt left her paralyzed and in chronic pain. She reportedly jumped from a fifth-floor building after an alleged sexual assault.

Kendra Duggar let her husband, Joseph, know that he was basically on his own when it came to legal representation ... according to a recorded jail call just hours after she was released from custody.

As you know ... Kendra was arrested March 20 as she and Joseph were hit with 4 misdemeanor counts each of false imprisonment and endangering the welfare of a child. And at the time, Joseph was already in custody for lewd and lascivious behavior involving unlawful sexual activity with a minor.

Kendra was released later that day and whisked away with her children to a secluded location. Afterwards, she accepted Joseph's call from Washington County Detention Facility in Arkansas.

A woman in Brazil who reportedly confessed to killing her boyfriend and cutting off his testicles because he was trying to rape her 11-year-old daughter has been cleared of the charges of murder and destroying a corpse.

According to multiple reports, Erica Pereira da Silveria Vicente says she saw some troubling texts Everton Amaro de Silva had sent to the young girl ... and then found him on top of her.

Cyndi Lauper's son, rapper Declyn "Dex" Lauper, sexually assaulted a woman in a New York City apartment after she refused to perform oral sex on him ... at least according to a new lawsuit.

The suit, obtained by TMZ, alleges Dex invited the woman over in November 2020 and sent her money for private car transportation ... but when she arrived, she claims he "seemed agitated," and they disagreed about her performing fellatio.

She says when she insisted on leaving, Dex took her phone and threatened to break the device if she did not perform oral sex on him. She claims he pushed her onto his bed with his genitals exposed, held her arms down, and forcibly smothered his genitals over her mouth.

Jay-Z reveals he had a really rough 2025 when now-dropped sexual assault allegations took him to a very dark place ... according to a new interview.

As you know ... a Jane Doe accuser alleged both Jay-Z and Diddy raped her when she was 13. But she later filed docs in federal court to voluntarily dismiss the case with prejudice, which means it cannot be refiled.

In the new GQ interview, Jay says ... "That s*** took a lot out of me. I was angry. I haven't been that angry in a long time ... uncontrollable anger."

5 PM PT -- Later in the day, the jury added on $40 million in punitive damages.

Bill Cosby just took a huge loss in court today ... a jury reportedly awarded $19.25 million to Donna Motsinger after she alleged the comedian drugged and raped her in 1972.

Jurors reportedly found Cosby liable for sexual assault and sexual battery while awarding Motsinger $17.5 million for past mental suffering, and $1.75 million for future suffering.

According to Rolling Stone, the jury also left the door open for future punitive damages by determining Cosby acted with "malice, oppression, or fraud."

Jail can be a dangerous place for people ... but not for Joseph Duggar, who's super safe behind bars, TMZ has learned.

The former "19 Kids and Counting" star was placed in a "secure" area of the Washington County Jail in Arkansas as he awaits extradition to Bay County, Florida, to face charges that he allegedly molested a 9-year-old girl, according to a supervising corporal at the detention facility. 

The corporal tells TMZ ... Joseph has absolutely no access to other inmates for his own safety due to his high-profile case. Our source says the jail staff is very aware of Joseph's notoriety, and they're keeping him "under constant watch," checking on him hourly if not more often. 

Jill Duggar Dillard and her family are "shocked and heartbroken" over her brother Joseph's arrest for child molestation.

The family shared their reaction on their blog Thursday ... one day after Joseph was taken to the clink in Arkansas and charged with two counts of child sex abuse stemming from an incident with a female minor in 2020.

The family wrote they "strongly condemn abuse" and "support the rule of law and hope that justice will be achieved" in the case, adding ... "Our hearts go out to the innocent juvenile victim of this unspeakable crime and her family. We pray God gives her strength, comfort and hope, and that she is able to get all the help and support she needs and deserves in the days ahead."

Joseph Duggar -- who was arrested Wednesday for allegedly sexually abusing an underage girl -- once spoke out against his famous older brother Josh Duggar over accusations of child molestation more than a decade ago.

Back in 2015 ... Joseph weighed in on Josh's misconduct after Josh was accused of inappropriately touching five girls, including his own sisters, Jill and Jessa. Both brothers, of course, starred on TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting.”

Joseph commented on the scandal in a clip for TLC's spinoff "Jill & Jessa: Counting On" ... saying, "Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you'd never think that that's the person who's involved in it."