Janice Dickinson is suing Bill Cosby for defamation.
The 60-year-old former model is just one of over 30 women who have come forward to accuse the 77-year-old comedian of sexual assault.
She first made her allegations last November, but Cosby’s lawyer wasted no time in dismissing the claims as “a lie”.
Now Janice is taking the next step in the legal battle with Cosby, filing a lawsuit against him for defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
"I'm suing Bill Cosby for justice and vindication," Janice told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday.
"I was drugged and raped – drugged and raped – by Bill Cosby. And the fact that he and his spokespeople have called me a liar – referring to remarks that I’ve made – it’s just not correct. I want to fight this. I’m not being paid anything monetarily to do this, it’s just the right thing to do.”
The former America’s Next Top Model judge’s lawyer Lisa Bloom also explained to the outlet why they had taken the next step.
"What sparked this lawsuit is Bill Cosby through his representatives calling Janice Dickinson a liar, and Janice is refusing to be re-victimised," she said. "She alleges she was drugged and raped by Bill Cosby, and then re-victimised again when he called her a liar."
Bloom continued to explain that the lawsuit, which she said would be filed in California Superior Court on Wednesday, will accuse Cosby and his lawyers of attempting to “make Ms. Dickinson an object of ridicule, contempt, hatred or disgrace, and to bring her public and personal humiliation” by accusing her of lying.
According to ET, Janice revealed she has been suffering from nightmares, anxiety and embarrassment since coming forward with her tale.
But she says she doesn’t regret her decision to make her story public, and hopes that a jury trial in her case will see Cosby pay for what she claims he’s done.
"It’s the right time," Janice said. "I could not let myself be silent. I am sober today, and I’m in a program of vigorous honesty. I want to protect all those women that haven’t come forward and show them the love and support worldwide that what happened to me will not happen to another woman."
