Obama pressured to remove Bill Cosby's Medal Of Freedom by sexual assault prevention group

Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment (PAVE) launched a petition

Bill Cosby, who has been accused of committing sexual assault (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

A sexual assault prevention group has called for President Obama to revoke Bill Cosby’s Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

Cosby was given the award in 2002 by then-president George W Bush, but the group, Promoting Awareness Victim Empowerment, has urged the president to take action in the wake of the latest evidence regarding the former comedian.

“This award was given to Mr Cosby under false pretenses,” PAVE Executive Director Angela Rose said in a statement.

“The White House was clearly not aware that Cosby would be accused of multiple counts of sexual violence. As such, we urge President Obama to take the unprecedented action of revoking this award and that Bill Cosby’s name be expunged from any official lists of recipients.”

They have launched a petition to rally people to their cause.

The controversy around Cosby continues to gather momentum, after he admitted this week that bought drugs to give to women with the intent of having sex with them.

The confession formed part of a lawsuit which Cosby settled in 2006, the details of which his lawyers have tried to repress.

Since last November, over 30 women have come forward alleging that Cosby sexually abused them at some point over the last four decades.

Cosby has never been charged with a crime, however, and the statute of limitations has run out on nearly all of the alleged assaults.

A White House press secretary said they were unaware of any discussion at the White House regarding Cosby’s medal.

“I don't know whether or not it's legally possible to do so,” he said.

Deadline have also reported that Cosby was quietly dropped by his agent at the end of last year.