An American woman whose identity has not been disclosed has filed a lawsuit against Mike Tyson demanding damages of $5 million (approximately 6.17 billion won). Because she was raped by him.
According to the Associated Press on the 24th (local time), the woman said she was raped while riding in his limousine after meeting Tyson at an Albany, New York, nightclub.
The incident took place in the early 1990s, around the time Tyson sexually assaulted college student Desiree Washington, a candidate for Miss Black America, the woman said. Tyson was found guilty of sexually assaulting Washington, then 18, on February 10, 1992, and she served three years in prison.
The reason women refused to disclose their identities was that they could suffer additional psychological damage, harassment, and ridicule. After examining the woman’s claim, lawyer Darren Seilback, who represents the woman, judged it to be “highly credible.”
The lawsuit was made possible thanks to New York State’s enactment of a law last November that allows adult victims of sexual violence to file civil suits for one year regardless of the statute of limitations. As soon as the special law went into effect, celebrities such as former President Donald Trump and comedian Bill Cosby were accused of sexual assault decades ago.
Lee Sang-ryeol, Hankyung.com reporter [email protected]