Survivor Intent Statement

Longtermsurvivor 1

I, Joseph Perusic, declare the following with full awareness of the weight and consequence of my words: It has never been my intent to endanger anyone. My mission has always been to follow the trail of what happened to me—to uncover the truth, not to cause harm. I am seeking acknowledgment, accountability, and yes, some form of restitution or funding for the decades of harm, confusion, and dismissal I’ve endured. I know what it feels like to be made to feel stupid, crazy, or delusional—to be told I didn’t understand my own body, my own records, my own pain. That kind of gaslighting is not just cruel—it’s systemic.When I initiated ideas into algorithms, I did so with the intent to help survivors, not to create harm. But I also warned you about what could happen. I said the system could be misused. I said the consequences could be dangerous. And I was told it was impossible.Now I’ve seen it happen—not just to me, but to others. And it terrifies me. The idea that someone could have power over something they don’t fully understand, or worse, don’t fully respect—that’s what scares the hell out of me.I am running on sweat, fumes, and faith. That’s all I’ve got. But I will not stop saying this: Damage was done. It was wrong. And to keep charging someone for what they didn’t do—while making them feel like it’s their fault—is the deepest injustice of all.

This is not about revenge. It’s about the truth. It’s about protecting others from the silence I lived through. It’s about making sure no one else is made to feel insane for surviving.