Advice columnist and journalist E. Jean Carroll publicly accused President Donald Trump of sexual assault on Friday.
Carroll is the 24th woman to accuse the president of assault, harassment, or molestation.
In an excerpt from her upcoming book, “What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal,” published on New York magazine’s website, Carroll described Trump pushing her into a dressing room at the department store Bergdorf Goodman 25 years ago, hitting her head against a wall, holding her against the wall, and forcibly penetrating her:
The story will appear in the magazine’s print edition next week, with Carroll on the cover wearing the dress she was wearing when Trump allegedly assaulted her.
The excerpt published in New York details numerous encounters Carroll had with “hideous men” during her childhood, adolescence, and adulthood—including one with former CBS executive Les Moonves—as she embarked on a career as a journalist and the author of the “Ask E. Jean” column at Elle.
Carroll also describes the questions she believes she may be asked as the public learns about the alleged assault:
As with the other women who have publicly accused Trump of assaulting them, and with the audio tape of the president himself bragging about committing sexual assault, the White House promptly dismissed Carroll’s account.
Women’s advocacy organization UltraViolet called on lawmakers to launch an investigation into the many allegations against the president.
“The American people have known that Donald Trump is a dangerous, predatory misogynist since they saw him bragging about sexually assaulting women in 2016,” said executive director Shaunna Thomas. “Carroll’s experiences are incredibly disturbing, though hardly surprising given the more than twenty allegations of sexual abuse that already exist against President Trump. These latest accusations serve as a reminder that Donald Trump is a self-confessed serial sexual abuser and Republicans in Congress have refused to hold him accountable for his actions, putting partisan political interests over survivors and the country.”
“Enough is enough,” she added. “70 percent of Americans want Trump investigated for sexual harassment. Women like E. Jean Carroll risk everything to come forward with their stories. They put everything on the line in hopes that their abuser will be held accountable and survivors of sexual assault like Carroll deserve better.”
On social media, others wrote unequivocally that Carroll had shared a compelling account of having been raped by the president, and condemned the Republican Party for continuing to support Trump despite numerous similar accusations which have been public for years.