By Harshit
WASHINGTON, D.C. — 20 November 2025
More than six years after Jeffrey Epstein’s death behind bars, survivors of his decades-long sex trafficking operation are intensifying demands for justice. Their urgent calls for transparency come after the Department of Justice confirmed that Epstein victimized at least 1,000 women and children, a staggering figure that has reignited public pressure to release the long-sealed investigative files documenting the full scope of his crimes and the people involved.
At a packed press conference on Nov. 18, survivors stood shoulder to shoulder, reminding the nation that their suffering was not isolated — it was systemic, widespread, and ignored for decades.
“I am one story of a thousand,” said Danielle Bensky, who said she was 17 when she met Epstein in 2004. “Think of that number, 1,000. We are a representation of women across America… different religions, different races, different backgrounds.”
Their message was unmistakable: they refuse to be forgotten.
A Network of Abuse Spanning Continents
Epstein is accused of running an international sex trafficking ring, recruiting girls as young as 14 into what appeared to be a sophisticated network of sexual exploitation involving his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and numerous unnamed powerful men.
Survivors say they were abused across multiple locations, including:
- California
- Florida
- New Mexico
- New York
- Ohio
- The United Kingdom
- The U.S. Virgin Islands
Many victims were approached under the guise of modeling opportunities, financial help, or massage jobs — a facade that quickly escalated into coercion, assault, and years of trauma.
Some women reported trying to contact law enforcement in the 1990s, only to be dismissed or ignored. Those early failures, they say, allowed Epstein’s operation to grow and continue unchecked.
Survivor Sisters: A Collective Voice After Decades of Silence
Hundreds of Epstein survivors have now banded together under the name Survivor Sisters, forming a powerful coalition dedicated to demanding transparency and accountability.
Their advocacy was central to pressuring both the House and Senate to vote to demand the release of DOJ’s investigative files on Epstein — files that could reveal the identities of collaborators, accomplices, enablers, and officials who failed to act.
But as the votes approached, the effort became mired in political infighting.
Several survivors expressed outrage that their trauma had become political ammunition.
“None of us here signed up for this political warfare,” said Wendy Avis, speaking at a Nov. 18 press event. “We are exhausted from surviving the trauma and then surviving the politics that swirl around it.”
Their anger grew when President Donald Trump initially pressured Republicans not to join the bipartisan push to release the documents, dismissing the effort as an “Epstein hoax” before reversing his position and signing the measure on Nov. 19 when passage became inevitable.
New Voices Coming Forward — and New Evidence
Only a small fraction of Epstein’s victims have ever spoken publicly. But in recent months, more survivors have stepped forward, driven by a growing sense that silence only protects the powerful.
A public service announcement released days before the congressional votes featured newly identified survivors urging Americans to contact their representatives.
Among those speaking publicly for the first time were:
- Marina Lacerda, who said she was 14 when she was recruited by Epstein
- Lara Blum McGee, who said she was lured through her modeling aspirations
Their testimony aligns with a July 2025 FBI memo confirming Epstein harmed more than 1,000 victims. Attorney Gloria Allred, who represents a number of survivors, emphasized that this number may not capture the full extent of the trafficking network.
“I’m not sure if anybody knows the exact number,” she said at a Nov. 17 press briefing. “We only know what we’ve pieced together from survivors who have come forward.”
A Pattern of Early Failures from Law Enforcement
Many survivors say the trauma of their abuse was compounded by being ignored or dismissed when they tried to report Epstein years before his arrest.
Annie Farmer, who was 16 when she met Epstein, recalled how her sister Maria Farmer called the FBI in 1996 to report Epstein — only to have the agent hang up the phone.
“The FBI never followed up at all,” she said. The sisters were contacted again in 2006 as potential witnesses, but say the agency once more failed to pursue their claims. Maria has since filed a lawsuit accusing the FBI of neglecting its responsibility to investigate Epstein thoroughly.
Local law enforcement also fell short. The Palm Beach Police Department first began investigating Epstein in 2006, but the case ended in a controversial 2008 non-prosecution agreement that allowed Epstein to avoid the most severe charges — a deal now widely viewed as a miscarriage of justice.
Virginia Giuffre’s Legacy and the Push for Truth
Among the most vocal survivors was Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused Epstein of trafficking and raping her as a minor between 2000 and 2002. Giuffre was instrumental in drawing national attention to Epstein’s network and brought civil actions against Maxwell and Prince Andrew.
Her death by suicide in April dealt a devastating blow to the survivor community.
Her brother, Sky Roberts, said justice must begin with acknowledgment.
“These survivors are not political tools,” he said. “We need people to stop talking and start acting.”
Survivors Face Threats, Intimidation, and Smear Campaigns
Many survivors say they still fear retribution from powerful people connected to Epstein. Some who have spoken out publicly have received threats serious enough to keep them from attending press events.
At the Nov. 18 event, survivor Ashley Rubright said she stepped up to the microphone only because another survivor was too afraid to appear after receiving repeated threats.
“When you threaten one of us, you threaten all of us,” Rubright said. “Individually, our voices were whispers. Together, they’ve become impossible to ignore.”
Rubright and others described:
- smear campaigns
- reputational attacks
- legal intimidation
- delay tactics in civil cases
- efforts to paint them as “problems to be managed”
Rather than victims to be protected.
Creating Their Own Epstein Files
Frustrated by decades of secrecy, some survivors say they will compile their own list of individuals who participated in Epstein’s crimes if the government does not act swiftly.
Survivor Lisa Phillips said the group has already begun gathering evidence from newly emerging victims across the globe.
“Many are still terrified to speak publicly,” she said. “The men involved are powerful, they’re connected, and they are protected.”
Phillips said survivors want the files released to understand the full story of how Epstein was able to abuse so many women and children for so long.
“We’re still learning new details every time another survivor comes forward,” she said. “We want the files so we can finally know the complete story.”