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Andrea Constand is finally speaking out publicly about being raped by Bill Cosby and his recent conviction in a Pennsylvania court.

On Friday (June 1), the 45-year-old told NBC’s Dateline in an exclusive interview that she “forgive” Cosby despite being “sick” from what he did to her.

“I forgave Bill Cosby for what he did to me.”

She added: “It’s been many, many years. And if I did not forgive him, I wouldn’t have peace. And I sit here today and I have my peace.”

Remember, Constand worked at Temple University’s basketball team when she met the famous comedian back in 2004. According to Constand, who testified twice during both of the 80-year-old’s trials, the Cosby Show star drugged and assaulted her in his Pennsylvania home.

She also told NBC that she testified because she wanted to seek “justice” for herself and the other 50-plus women who claim the star assaulted them too over the years.

“I did it for justice,” Constand said.

“But I also did it because of what was happening at the time. And what was happening was many women came out into the public, into the media in droves, saying that they too had been drugged and sexually assaulted.”

It’s no secret that Constand has been portrayed as a gold digger, a liar and an opportunist, all names her mother, Gianna, had a hard time hearing about her daughter.

“People would call me and my sisters would call me and they’d be crying and they’d say, ‘Oh my God, I read they said she’s a con artist. I’ve known her since she was born.’ I had a really hard time with that,” she said.

Constand admitted, it was difficult for her to hear too.

“I’m not a con artist, Bill Cosby is a con artist,” she said. “For years and years and decades, he preyed upon young women.”

She hopes that her courage gives other survivors hope.

“We’re better than we were a year ago, but we’ve got a long way to go. But I am so proud that I’ve been able to be an instrument for change.”

Cosby will be sentenced in September.

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Andrea Constand Forgives Convicted Rapist Bill Cosby, But Says He ‘Needs Help’  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com