Earlier this week, actress Asia Argento was accused of sexual assault by actor Jimmy Bennett. Bennett accused Argento of instigating a sexual relationship with the actor when he was 17 years old, and the payment Argento made to Bennett was considered evidence of it further. Bennett claims that the memories and trauma were dredged up when Argento made the news with her story of the assault done by Harvey Weinstein. Argento slammed back, and accused Bennett of exploiting her, however a post coital Instagram photo pushes Bennett’s case further. Bennett himself finally broke his silence and responded with a statement surrounding the allegations.
In a statement released, Jimmy Bennett discusses the shame involved with being a victim of sexual abuse, and his fear of coming forward. It is a brave statement. Here it is in full:
“Many brave women and men have spoken out about their own experiences during the #metoo movement, and I appreciate the bravery that it took for each and every one of them to take such a stand. I did not initially speak out about my story because I chose to handle it in private with the person who wronged me. My trauma resurfaced as she came out as a victim herself. I have not made a public statement in the past days and hours because I was ashamed and afraid to be part of the public narrative. I was underage when the event took place, and I tried to seek justice in a way that made sense to me at the time because I was not ready to deal with the ramifications of my story becoming public. At the time I believed there was still a stigma to being in the situation as a male in our society. I didn’t think that people would understand the event that took place from the eyes of a teenage boy. I have had to overcome many adversities in my life, and this is another that I will deal with, in time. I would like to move past this event in my life, and today I choose to move forward, no longer in silence.”
What do you think of Bennett’s statement? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter at @WhatsTrending.
