The lawsuits against James Toback and Bill Cosby have made use of New York state’s Adult Survivors Act|Georges Biard; The World Affairs Council of Philadelphia|CC BY-SA 3.0; CC BY 2.0

Two new lawsuits filed in New York City on Monday brought to light years of sexual abuse women in Hollywood had to endure from comedian Bill Cosby, NBCUniversal and director James Toback.

Bill Cosby and NBC
Five women who have long accused the 84-year-old television star, Bill Cosby, of sexual assault have filed their latest lawsuit against him and NBCUniversal.

The suit at the New York state court claims the studio is “culpable and liable” for Cosby’s alleged sexual assault from the late 1960s through the 1990s.

James Toback
About 38 women filed a lawsuit at the Supreme Court in Manhattan on Monday, alleging writer-director James Toback, 78, is a “serial sexual predator”.

How are these two cases connected?
Both lawsuits have made use of New York state’s Adult Survivors Act (ASA) which gives adult survivors of sexual assault a one-year window to file lawsuits against their perpetrators.