Asia Argento’s Sexual Assault Accuser Jimmy Bennett Says He Was Afraid To Speak Out

Since The New York Times came out with a story saying that #MeToo activist and Harvey Weinstein accuser, Asia Argento, paid an actor named Jimmy Bennett $380,000 after he accused her of sexually assaulting him when he was 17 and she was 37 in 2013 (the age of consent in California is 18), there’s been more layers added to this mound of ick. Asia responded, saying that if the NYT story was a movie, it’d be Liar Liar, because she says she never had sex with 17-year-old Jimmy and also said that it was Anthony Bourdain’s idea to cough up the pay-off because he was afraid the accusations would ruin their reputations. Asia also painted Jimmy as a money-hungry lost soul who she and Anthony took pity upon by giving him money. Stangely enough, Asia was never granted sainthood for that act, instead there’s been leaked text messages and a picture of her in bed with Jimmy that contradicts her side of the story.

Asia admitted in the alleged text messages to having sex with Jimmy and claimed she didn’t know he was a minor until he threatened to sue her for $3.7 million for emotional distress, lost wages, assault, and battery. The alleged text message where she claims she didn’t know how old he was is a major side-eye since she directed him when he was 7 years old in The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. I’ve seen THIDAAT and there’s plenty of disturbing shit in that movie, but this is easily the most disturbing thing to ever come out of it.

The accuser Jimmy Bennet, now 22, has issued his own statement to the NYT.

Jimmy said that it has taken him a minute to speak out, because he was ashamed, but he’s no longer going to stay quiet.

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.

Fellow face of the #MeToo movement, Ashley Judd, said in a statement that all abusers need to be held accountable, and Mira Sorvino tweeted she was “heartsick” over the news and hopes it’s not true, but that child sexual assault is a “heinous” crime. Rose McGowan said in a now deleted tweet that none of us know the truth and we need to be “gentle” with the situation. After she deleted that tweet, she said she wasn’t defending.

Anthony Bourdain, who was dragged into this by Asia, can’t comment since he’s dead. But I’m sure Asia will grab a ouija board, contact him through it and say, “See, see, he backs up everything I said!”

Pic: Wenn.com