'This verdict is for all women': E. Jean Carroll after jury holds Trump guilty of sexually abusing her

New York

After a nine-member jury found former US president Donald Trump guilty of sexually abusing and defaming journalist E. Jean Carroll, the latter has termed it a 'victory' for all women who are victims of sexual assault, in an interview with CNN. 

The Manhattan Federal Court on Tuesday announced the verdict and awarded $5 million in compensatory and punitive damages to Carroll. 

“The old view of the perfect victim was a woman who always screamed. A woman who immediately reported. A woman whose life was supposed to fold up and she’s never supposed to experience happiness again,” said Carroll in the interview. 

“That was just shut down with this verdict, the death of the perfect victim has happened. Now this verdict is for all women," she added. 

Quizzed about what was going through her mind when the jury said they were not convinced that Trump raped her, Carroll said, “Well, I just immediately (said) in my own head, ‘Oh, yes, he did. Oh yes, he did.’”

Carroll added that when she shook hands with Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina, she told him, “He did it. And you know it.”

Notably, the nine-member jury, comprising six men and three women, reached a unanimous verdict in less than three hours but did not agree with Carroll’s allegation that the former president raped her.

“I’m really sort of taking in the moment and the overwhelming flood of a lot of hate that’s part of it. There’s a sort of a feeling of victory that, at last, somebody has held him accountable in a courtroom,” she added. 

WATCH | Donald Trump sexually abused writer E Jean Carroll, US jury rules

What did Carroll claim?

The 79-year-old former columnist at Elle Magazine has claimed that Trump raped her at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York, in the spring of 1996.  

During her testimony, Carroll said Trump's actions shattered her and she had been trying to get her life back. 

“I’m here because Donald Trump raped me, and when I wrote about it, he said it didn’t happen. He lied and shattered my reputation and I’m here to try to get my life back,” Carroll testified.

Trump's testimony

Days before the verdict, video footage of Trump testifying in front of the court in October last year was released. In the video, Trump looked rather nonchalant and denied the allegations brought against him. 

“It’s a disgrace. Frankly, it’s a disgrace that something like this can be brought,” Trump said in the video, referring to Carroll’s claim that he raped her in a luxury Manhattan department store.

Trump repeated his previous comment saying he was engaging in 'locker room talk' and justified his remarks about famous people being able to have their way with women. 

“Historically, that’s true with stars…If you look over the last million years, I guess that’s been largely true. Not always, but largely true. Unfortunately or fortunately," said Trump.

When attorney Roberta Kaplan asked if he considered himself a star, Trump responded, "I think you can say that, yeah."

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: