Roman Polanski's rape victim debuts book cover

Samantha Geimer, who was raped by filmmaker Roman Polanski at the age of 13, has debuted the cover picture of her memoir which is a close-up shot of her teenage self.
Now 50, Geimer is breaking her silence on the infamous Hollywood scandal after nearly 35 years through the book "The Girl: A Life in the Shadow of Roman Polanski", slated to hit stands on September 17.
Ironically, the photograph, which is now on the cover, was taken by Polanski on February 20, 1977, less than three weeks before he drugged and raped her at Jack Nicholson's Mulholland Drive home during a modeling shoot for a magazine, the Hollywood Reporter said.

Polanski took the pictures during his first photo session with Geimer, now 50, at her home in Woodland Hills, a session in which the director coaxed the young girl to pose topless for him in some of the shots, THR added.
The photos from that shoot surfaced during Geimer's civil suit against Polanski, when her lawyer demanded the director to return any film and negatives he had of her. The pictures would be a part of the book.
Publisher Atria said that the book "will give readers insight into many dimensions of the story that have never been previously revealed."

"I am more than a 'Sex Victim Girl'. I offer my story now without rage, but with purpose -- to share a tale that will reclaim my identity," Geimer had said last year while announcing the memoir.
Polanski, 79, fled America in 1978, just before the sentencing in the case. He is currently settled in France. The director was briefly arrested in 2009 while in Switzerland at the request of US authorities.
The arrest brought renewed attention to the case with many Hollywood biggies supporting the director. He was jailed near Zurich for two months and then put under house arrest. In 2010, the Swiss released him and rejected US request for an extradition.