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'Real World' Star Settles With MTV Over Rape Claims

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Tonya Cooley MTV

A year ago, Tonya Cooley filed a lawsuit against MTV claiming she was sexually abused by her cast mates during the Thailand season of "The Real World/Road World Challenge: The Ruins."

Cooley, who originally appeared on "Real World: Chicago" in 2002, alleged that two other contestants raped her with a toothbrush, and says she was a victim of repeated acts of sexual abuse throughout production.

But MTV didn't buy Cooley's claims, and the network countered that Cooley failed to take advantage of its "open-door policy with complaint procedures."

MTV, along with parent company Viacom and production company Bunim-Murray, drove home their point by stating, according to Viacom's papers:

"In addition to failing to avail herself of VMN's policies and complaint procedures, Plaintiff failed to avoid the injuries of which she complains. For example, while she was a contestant on The Ruins, Plaintiff was frequently intoxicated (to an extent far greater than other contestants), rowdy, combative, flirtatious and on multiple occasions intentionally exposed her bare breasts and genitalia to other contestants."

Cooley, who went on to pose for Playboy and appeared in an episode of the Cinemax adult series "The Erotic Traveler," insisted that her antics were the result of producers supplying contestants with unlimited alcoholic beverages, further encouraging scandalous behavior.

And now, a year after Cooley initially filed the complaint, the reality TV contestent and Viacom/Bunim Murray Productions "have informed the judge that the dispute has been resolved and have asked for a stay for time to effectuate the resolution," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Details of the settlement have not been made public.

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