E. Jean Carroll steps out of a car during her trial against former President Donald Trump.Photo: Stephanie Keith/Bloomberg via Getty
E. Jean Carrollsays her victory in court over former PresidentDonald Trumpwasn’t just for her, but all women.
“It was not just for me. Every woman feels vindicated. At last, a woman was believed,” Carroll tells PEOPLE. “It took years, and the greatest attorney in America, and persistence through four different courts.”
E. Jean Carroll and Donald Trump.Michael M. Santiago/Getty, Ron Sachs - Pool/Getty
Carroll says she credits Kaplan with giving her the strength to take on one of the most powerful men in the world.
Robbie Kaplan and E. Jean Carroll leave federal court in New York City on April 27, 2023.AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews
In May, a jury ordered that Trump pay Carroll $2 million for sexual abuse and nearly $3 million for defamation.Speaking toTodayfollowing the news of the verdict, Carroll said she was “overwhelmed with joy.” But making it through the lengthy trial was no simple task.
“Well, it’s called a trial because it’s a trial. It’s atrial,” says Carroll, noting that she often couldn’t sleep as proceedings dragged on. While she was “elated” to actually have her day in court, she was terrified she would say something wrong and let down her legal team. When asked if the experience made her tougher, she says it’s the other way around.
E. Jean Carroll walks behind lawyer Robbie Kaplan during the trial.Luiz C. Ribeiro for the New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty
“He kept repeating the horrible thing, over and over and over,” she recalls, before explaining why she didn’t come forward with her claims sooner. “4,000 years of culture telling you to keep your mouth shut.Don’t rock the boat. And it was for a good reason: because women are rarely believed. Men always have the higher status.”
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer.
Carroll says the response from the public has been tremendous since her victory in court, with strangers approaching her on the street to express gratitude.
“It’s not just women. Men. They just say just in passing, they won’t even stop,” she notes. “They’ll say thank you. Then I feel really great.”
source: people.com
