Danielle Bensky wants a typical life.
asserted
Bensky → want → life
“I would just love to own a house one day and have a dog,” said Bensky, who is among the Jeffrey Epstein survivors advocating for accountability.
asserted
who → love → accountability
“I think that’s the dream – literally just to have a normal existence where we’re not trying to fight the government and constantly be facing our own abuse.”
asserted
we → think → abuse
For Bensky and many other survivors of the convicted sex trafficker, the simple dreams enjoyed by so many Americans remain out of reach.
asserted
dreams → convict → reach
In addition to the psychological and physical toll of sexual trauma, some Epstein victims face extreme financial pressures related to their pursuit of justice for the well-connected predator.
asserted
victims → face → predator
“Right now, I am uninsured,” Bensky said.
asserted
Bensky → say → ?
Bensky has received coverage for mental health treatment because of a settlement between an investment bank and US Virgin Island authorities that led to the creation of a mental health fund.
asserted
that → receive → fund
But there are many other costs associated with healing, she said.
asserted
she → be → healing
Physical therapy for a post-traumatic injury costs approximately $200 per visit, she said.
asserted
she → cost → visit
Bensky knows she should go more than twice per month, “but I can’t afford it,” she said.
asserted
she → know → it
The yoga that helps keep Bensky centered comes to about $250 monthly.
asserted
that → help → 250
“I’ve been doing all this advocacy for the year, and I’ve had to take time off from work,” Bensky said, explaining she has now hit roadblocks in securing work due to her advocacy.
asserted
she → do → advocacy
“There are certain places that won’t even hire some of us now because they’re saying that we’re ‘too political’.”
asserted
we → be → us
“I’m paying for everything out of pocket,” Bensky said about healthcare.
asserted
Bensky → pay → healthcare
Congressional Democrats Ayanna Pressley, Teresa Leger Fernández and Deborah Ross this week introduced legislation to address survivors’ financial burdens.
asserted
Pressley → introduce → burdens
This proposed legislation seeks to launch a restitution fund in the judicial branch “for survivors of sexual violence whose rights were violated by the federal government, including all survivors of abuse by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell”.
asserted
rights → propose → Epstein
“Though it often goes overlooked or ignored, the deep financial burden that survivors of sexual violence carry – coupled with mental and physical trauma – can be debilitating.
asserted
survivors → overlook → trauma
Navigating such harm can lead to time away from work or the need to leave a job entirely, resulting in a loss in income while rent is due, daily needs have to be met, and medical expenses to address physical injury and mental health support pile up,” Pressley said in a statement.
asserted
Pressley → navigate → statement
“The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act shines a light on this critical gap in support for survivors and would force our government to bring the meaningful accountability and compensation that survivors are owed.”
asserted
survivors → shin → that
Many survivors support this initiative, but the likelihood of it passing both chambers of Congress and securing Donald Trump’s signature seems unlikely in the near future given heightened partisanship and geopolitical distractions.
asserted
it → support → partisanship
As a result, an initiative for steadier financial footing is poised more to be a long-term prospect rather than immediate relief.
asserted
initiative → poise → relief
Jess Michaels said that her financial future was derailed after Epstein assaulted her.
asserted
Epstein → say → her
She had flourished as a professional dancer but the attack left her unable to pursue work.
asserted
attack → flourish → work
“I would go into auditions and I would lose my nerve,” Michaels said.
asserted
Michaels → go → nerve
“I would be unable to finish an audition.
asserted
I → finish → audition
I would be unable to go to auditions because I would be stuck in bed, frozen or crying, and that lasted throughout my 20s.”
asserted
that → go → 20s
“The career that I had worked for collapsed …
asserted
I → work → that
What does that end up costing someone?” Michaels said.
asserted
Michaels → end → someone
She noted that for much of the time, “it meant I didn’t even have insurance”.
asserted
I → note → insurance
“Sexual harm is an injury that demands first aid care, just like any other injury, before it is a crime demanding an interrogation,” Michaels said.
asserted
Michaels → demand → interrogation
She said she has for years been dealing with physical ailments related to nervous system harm.
asserted
she → say → harm
“That’s why I am someone that deals with gastrointestinal issues, cardiovascular issues, immune system issues, endocrine issues, endocrine system issues,” she said.
asserted
she → ’ → issues
“There’s something that happens when you have PTSD for a long period of time.
asserted
you → ’ → time
It doesn’t just go away.”
asserted
It → go → ?
If the bill passes, Michaels wants to spend money on her health which, she said, had deteriorated over the past year amid the stresses of advocacy.
asserted
she → pass → advocacy
Even though Michaels has health insurance, “a functional medicine doctor that actually understands what I’m going through is expensive, and it’s often not covered by insurance”.
asserted
it → have → insurance
“Right now I can’t afford to get the exact type of doctor that I really need,” she said.
asserted
she → afford → that
“I have to wing it with AI, my [primary care provider], my insurance company, and I’m navigating all of those things, which is exhausting all on its own.”
asserted
which → have → own
Annie Farmer, an outspoken Epstein survivor who testified against his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell at the British socialite’s 2021 trial, is now able to receive money for therapy from the Virgin Islands mental health fund.
asserted
who → testify → fund
But from 2019 until the near-present, Farmer spent “many thousands” of dollars on therapy.
asserted
Farmer → spend → therapy
…and 26 more, not listed.
The Aporia
