[0:00][Music] Good morning. >> Good morning. >> Oh, I need a little bit more than that. [Music] >> How's everybody doing this morning?
[0:11][Music] >> Are we ready? >> Okay, I I'm ready, too. So,
[0:22]it is time for action now. There has never been a more critical time to stand united and ensure that
[0:33]those who have been exploited and abused are heard loud and clear. >> I'm Lauren Hirs. I'm the national director of World Without Exploitation,
[0:45]our national coalition to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation. For far too long, survivors have been
[0:55]sidelined. They have been silenced. >> But that stops today. [Music] [Applause]
[1:06]>> The women you are about to hear from have been fighting literally for decades to have their voices heard. We are all
[1:16]done waiting. Now we're no longer waiting. We're demanding it. Our call to action is crystal clear.
[1:25]One. >> Okay. Thank you. Glad that wasn't a rock in my head. Um, our call to action is
[1:34]crystal clear. One, release the files. All of the files in the FBI's custody.
[1:44]Survivors and the public deserve the full truth. to commit to a truth seeking mission. No
[1:54]political theater, no partisan pol politics, just the truth. >> And three, do not pardon Gla Maxwell or
[2:06]grant her any special benefits. >> She was convicted of unspeakable crimes.
[2:14]Justice cannot and must not be undone. But today is not about Blaine Maxwell.
[2:24]It's not about Jeffrey Epstein. It's about these brave women. [Applause] [Music]
[2:33]>> So it feels fitting for me that our first speaker is Liz Stein. Four weeks ago, our team at World
[2:43]Without Exploitation sat down with Liz, and truthfully, she was a little frustrated. She was feeling that everybody was
[2:53]talking about survivors, but nobody was truly listening to survivors. >> That's right.
[3:02]>> And we knew that needed to change. So after listening to Liz, we needed we we knew we needed to create a space and send a clear message. It is time to
[3:13]listen to the voices of survivors. So here we are. >> Here we are. >> What Liz reminds us is that courage is
[3:24]contagious. You will not see one woman walk up here alone. She will walk up in solidarity with her survivor sisters.
[3:33]And that is deliberate because this movement is all about solidarity. When one person steps forward, we all have the courage to step forward.
[3:45]>> All right, let's do it. Liz, come on up here. Liz is joined this morning with four of her sisters, four women in our
[3:55]world we survivor training fellowship. Please welcome Gigi, LJ, Jessica, and Terry. There has never been a more
[4:05]urgent moment. Thank you. [Applause] >> Good morning. My name is Gabrielle Prito
[4:29]and it is an honor to welcome you here today. To every survivor present and to every ally standing with us, your courage, your solidarity, and your
[4:39]presence are powerful. We also thank our partners worldwide and the coalition for uniting this moment of hope and determination. As we gather on the
[4:49]Capitol Hill today because survivors of Epstein Maxwell and countless other have said we want to be seen, we want to be heard and we want to be safe.
[5:01]>> This is not about politics. This is about survivor lead a sister in this movement and a voice of resilience.
[5:11]She stands not only for herself but for the countless others who have been silenced. Please join me in welcoming
[5:19]Liz Stein to the podium. Thank you. >> Good morning everyone. Oh wow.
[5:31]>> Welcome. >> Looking out into this crowd, it's so hard to believe that this is all happening. It was born out of frustration sitting around a kitchen
[5:42]table. And look at us here today. I I'm really blown away with all of this support. There is definitely power in numbers. Um today we're here to
[5:53]celebrate the great strength of my survivor sisters who are here in Washington and to all of you who came out today to stand with survivors.
[6:03][Music] >> My name is Liz Stein. I am a speaker, writer, educator, and activist in the
[6:14]anti-trafficking movement. I am a world without exploitation stand fellow. And I am also a survivor of Galileain Maxwell
[6:23]and Jeffrey Epste. I met Galain when I was a senior in college. I was just 21 years old. Maxwell introduced me to Jeffrey Epstein
[6:35]later on that day. That evening was the sliding glass doors moment that changed the trajectory of my entire life.
[6:45]>> I was once bright, fun, outgoing and kind. I loved people and people genuinely enjoyed being around me.
[6:56]But after meeting Jeffrey Epstein and Galain Maxwell, it felt like someone shut off the lights to my soul. Instead of pursuing my dream of going to
[7:08]law school after graduation, overcoming the terror and the trauma that was inflicted on me by these sex traffickers.
[7:20]Overcoming that became my decades long fulltime career. As sisters,
[7:29]we are initiate as survivors, we're initiated into a sisterhood. We're in a sorority that none of us asked to join. But we all stand here today strong,
[7:41]stronger together because our collective voice is powerful. We stand together also to honor the
[7:50]beautiful souls who lost their lives in the pursuit of getting justice for Maxwell and Epstein's crimes.
[8:00][Applause] This is not a partisan issue. This is a crime. The crime of sex trafficking and
[8:12]the criminals must be held accountable. Disbelieving survivors creates a culture of silence. There is strength in numbers
[8:22]and our courage is contagious. I want to humanize sex trafficking survivors for you all
[8:32]just for one moment. We are not others. We are your sisters, your friends, your colleagues.
[8:41]We are in your community. Think about the women that you love and then think about them being the victim of sexual assault.
[8:53]It's uncomfortable and it's hard to think about. Could you stand for their abuse? I hope not. This is a crime that
[9:04]by our justice department's own admission has a thousand victims. A thousand victims. Do you know a thousand people? Think of the enormity
[9:14]of that. Could you be okay with a crime happening in your community >> to a thousand girls and young women and
[9:25]not holding the perpetrators accountable? >> I think not. The government's mishandling of this case has silenced our truth from the
[9:36]start. Nevertheless, beginning with Maria Farmer in 1996, the survivors of this crime have been relentless in speaking out and seeking justice,
[9:47]oftentimes at great risk to our own safety and well-being. >> Y >> it is the voices of survivors. I'm going to repeat that because it bears repeating.
[9:58]>> It is the voices of survivors of these crimes that are important. >> So, we are here together We are here together
[10:11]to stand united and I want to um uplift the words of someone who can't be with us today but who is
[10:23]has inspired us all in different ways. So to quote the late Virginia Guprey, "Mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers
[10:35]need to show that the battle lines are drawn and stand together to fight for the future of victims. Is protesting the
[10:44]answer?" I don't know. But we've got to start somewhere. And we are here today to start somewhere. So if you are watching us from home, if you're in the
[10:56]audience and you believe that you should stand with survivors, show us your support. Hashtag standwith survivors.
[11:08]>> Thank you. [Music] [Applause] All right, we're gonna just keep it
[11:26]moving. Um, I'd now love to welcome to the stage Sigret McCaulay, Annie Farmer, Virginia's incredible family, and Teresa Helm.
[11:58]Good morning. We come together in the nation's capital at this watershed moment for survivors. They're demanding justice. They're
[12:09]demanding accountability. and they're demanding action. For far too long, Maxwell and Epstein committed crimes throughout our country
[12:20]and our world, and it's time to hold those that facilitated those crimes accountable. We've heard a lot of words
[12:29]for many, many, far too many years. It's time finally for action. Earlier this year, many of you know that
[12:40]we lost a dear friend and a client of mine, Virginia. Her wonderful family is with us here today. I can tell you that she would have loved
[12:51]this moment. It would have been so special for her to see all of you here today. And I know she's with us. And what she would want you to hear
[13:01]today is stay strong and keep fighting for justice. [Applause] Thank you. I'm going to take a moment to
[13:13]read from one of our fellow survivors who thank you was um too afraid to come here today. Her name is Juliet Bryant and she asked me to read this letter to
[13:23]you all. I wish I could be here today. Unfortunately, I'm too afraid to travel to America after everything that has happened. I am, however, here in spirit
[13:34]like many other survivors such as Virginia Duprey and Carolyn Adriano. I want to speak out for all victims of abuse, especially those who can no
[13:45]longer speak, those both alive and dead. For years, the truth about Epstein has been covered up. They say there's no
[13:53]Epstein list. speak to us. It's time to dig deeper. Do the financial research. It's clear that for years there has been a big cover up. We have all been lied
[14:05]to. It's especially difficult for victims of Epstein to move on when it's thrown in their face daily through the media without any closure. The public
[14:17]has now become the victims of this as well. We have all been badly hurt by this. It's time for the truth to come out. It's time to stand up for victims
[14:27]of all crimes. It's time for the perpetrators to be held accountable. Thank you for being here and for standing by myself and other victims.
[14:36]Together, we will make change. There is strength in numbers and we will do it together. From Juliet Bryant. [Applause]
[14:48]>> And now I'd like to introduce Annie Farmer. >> Yeah. Good morning everyone. >> Thank you so much for being here today.
[14:59]Your support means more than you know. My sister Maria Farmer was not able to attend and so I will read her remarks for her. Due to the debilitating effects of the
[15:09]last few years of cancer treatment, I'm unable to be here today. My sister Annie Pharma will speak for me. She is a primary reason that I reported Epstein
[15:19]Maxwell and others to the FBI in 1996 after they assaulted us in two different locations and held me captive at
[15:29]Wexner's estate. While Maxwell also stole photos that were my private art studies and twisted them into child sexual abuse
[15:39]materials, harming my sisters and myself. In 2006, the FBI demanded my testimony
[15:49]for a federal trial, promising justice, but failed again. For 30 years, I fought not only sex traffickers, but a federal government that has enabled them, while that same
[16:01]government fully ignored teen safety and my many FOYA report requests. After three decades of failure, I am
[16:11]suing them for answers. Virginia Dupre's heroism, speaking her truth, her humility, her
[16:23]bravery and love ended my 14 years of fear and silence. She is the heart of this fight. Please take a moment of silence for her. And I would just like to say um speaking
[16:42]for myself now how very much it means to see this show of solidarity today after feeling so isolated and alone for so many years with this fight. It's
[16:53]incredible to see all of you standing here and to feel the support coming from elsewhere as well. as a public since I've come out publicly in this case. Um
[17:04]I've received so many notes and messages from people who have been impacted by this story because of how much they relate to the struggles involved in this
[17:15]story. Unfortunately, that's because so many people are affected by these crimes. We have a huge widespread issue with child sexual abuse, with sexual
[17:25]violence against women, with abuse of power in all forms that leads to all forms of trafficking. Right? And so I truly believe when you're facing
[17:34]problems this at this scale, it requires this type of force of coming together, creative solutions around not just the
[17:44]punishment of these very guilty perpetrators, but also education so people know the signs and understand the signs and can recognize the things that
[17:55]I didn't recognize when I was being, you know, lured into this world. So I so grateful uh for organizations
[18:06]that do this work. Thank you for world without exploitation for hosting this and for doing the very very important work of education. And I just uh want to
[18:17]thank all of you. I think we all have a role to play in coming together to change these very challenging situations that we face and to solve these problems. Thank you.
[18:29][Applause] Hello everyone.
[18:46]>> Uh, my name is Sky Roberts and I'm here today with my wife Amanda Roberts and my brother Daniel Wilson. We are proud
[18:56]and heartbroken to be standing here
[19:07]before you >> as the family of Virginia Roberts Juay.
[19:17]Virginia is not only our sister. She is a warrior, a survivor and even though she is no longer with us
[19:25]in body, her voice, her courage and her fight live on through every one of us here today. We want to stay start by saying thank
[19:36]you to the survivors who show unimaginable strength simply by standing here. To a world without exploitation who whose tireless work helps turn pain
[19:46]into purpose. And to every person who refuses to stay silent, even when the world makes it easier to look away, >> it is an honor, a true privilege to
[19:57]stand with you, to support you, and to help keep Virginia's voice alive. Virginia fought for truth. She fought to
[20:10]expose a system that allowed the wealthy, the connected, and the powerful to exploit and abuse girls and young women without consequence. She fought for every survivor who was
[20:21]silenced, doubted, or discarded. And she never backed down, even when the world tried to break her. Today, we rally not only in her memory,
[20:35]but in solidarity with every survivor. We are here to say we see you. We believe you. And we will not stop until justice is served. [Music]
[20:47][Applause] >> Because justice is not selective. It does not and must not bend to money,
[20:56]influence or titles. We are here because every survivor deserves more than a headline. They deserve more than a single conviction. They deserve the full weight of the law behind them.
[21:07]Thank you. >> Our demands are clear. >> Elaine Maxwell must remain in a maximum security prison for the rest of her life. >> No leniency, no deals, no special
[21:22]treatment. >> That's right. Send her back to Florida. >> The Epstein documents must be unsealed. >> Every name, >> every name, >> every detail. >> Every detail. >> No more secrets. No more protection for
[21:34]those who prayed on the vulnerable. >> No more And finally, we demand full accountability >> from every enabler, every accomplice, every person in power who turned a blind
[21:45]eye. The justice system was not designed to ser to serve the powerful. It was meant to protect the people. And it's time it started doing just that. >> This movement is just isn't just about
[21:59]the past. It's about reshaping the future. A future where survivors are not shamed, silenced, or ignored, but heard, honored, and empowered. >> Yes.
[22:10]>> Thank you. Thank you for standing here, for fighting alongside us, and for refusing to let this story end with injustice. Virginia's voice echoes in every one of us. Let's make sure the
[22:21]world keeps listening. I want to end it with a quote from Virginia, and I'm going to hand it over to my wife, Amanda. This is a quote um from Virginia's
[22:37]journals. I look forward to the days when money and power does not stop the truth from
[22:46]coming out and the righteous prevail. [Applause] >> Thank you. [Music]
[23:01][Applause] Well, good morning. I am Teresa J. Holm.
[23:13]I am a survivor of uh Gilen Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein and I work with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation
[23:22]here in Washington DC very proudly. And today I stand here as an expert of my lived experience at the hands of
[23:33]Jeffrey Epstein's co-conspirator, Gilan Maxwell, or as I first knew her as, Miss Maxwell.
[23:44]I was systematically recruited, trafficked across this great nation,
[23:52]groomed, and assaulted. Gillan, it was your butler that greeted me at the front door of your beautiful home.
[24:03]And it was your calm, manipulative, and fraudulent demeanor that cultivated my trust.
[24:13]That coercive system that you have mastered was entirely endgame oriented.
[24:23]And that endgame was to feed the perversion of you and Jeffrey through sexual violence.
[24:33]It was you who sent me off to the home of a monster, knowing what was waiting for me. Gayen Maxwell,
[24:43]you are the system [Applause]
[24:54]>> and now you are but a part of another system. [Music]
[25:08][Applause] one that you've earned
[25:18]through your very own your very own choices and actions. A prison system
[25:27]where you deserve to live for every moment of your 20ear sentence. Yes. >> And that alone is not enough.
[25:38]>> Systems require support. There are others that are complicit, that have caused harm to women and children, that have benefited from that
[25:50]harm, and as it stands in this moment, have enjoyed impunity and dodged accountability. We've heard her voice. Now hear ours
[26:04]loud and clear. Systems built with a root of corruption, violence, and deceit always crumble.
[26:15]That time is coming. Your pseudo power has diminished. It is our time in the power of justice,
[26:25]of common sense. It's our system now. This is a call to action. Now is the time
[26:36]to sift through and get rid of the perpetrators and bad actors. This eminent shift is how our country
[26:47]operates. It's how we will secure this nation's future. And the world is watching.
[26:57]And before I step away, I wanted to add one quick thought. Let's stop calling it an Epstein client list
[27:08]>> and let's call it what it actually is. It's Epstein's sexire list. >> Thank you.
[27:19][Applause] >> I am so proud and honored to be here today. My name is Lisa Phillips and I'm
[27:29]the host of award-winning podcast, From Now On, where I interview survivors. In the year 2000, I was taken to Jeffrey Epstein's Island while on a photo shoot
[27:41]in the Caribbean. Who I saw and what I experienced there would change me forever. For months, I had to avoid Jeffrey. But
[27:57]he told me that if I wanted to succeed as a Ford model, he could make it happen. And he was right. He introduced me to Katie Ford and many others in the
[28:07]entertainment business. >> His grip on the modeling business was undeniable. Not just the Ford family, but Victoria's Secret, Faith Kates, Jean
[28:18]Luke Brunell, Victoria's Secret. Epstein's reach went to the very top of fashion. He could make a model's career. What I didn't realize then was that once
[28:30]he lured someone like me in, he could also destroy my career if I did not do what he wanted me to do. In New York City, countless young women
[28:40]were abused by him. Everyone in the industry knew. Yet he was too powerful to stop. He had friends in all of our
[28:50]entertainment and arts. And his value to those friends made him untouchable. But I ask you, why? Who was he to our government that he was allowed to
[29:02]operate openly for decades? Why was he allowed to sponsor visas for young models using their immigration status as leverage to abuse them
[29:13]>> and silence them? >> Epstein was not just a serial predator. He was an international human trafficker. >> And many around him knew this. Many
[29:24]participated and many profited. >> And yet he was protected. >> I know what it's like to be trafficked to others. I know that the files contain the names
[29:36]of powerful men who have been shielded because of their fame or their fortune. So I stand here today not just for myself but for every woman who has been
[29:46]silenced exploited and dismissed. [Applause] >> Thank you. And we are not asking for
[29:57]pity. We are demanding accountability. Right. >> Congress must choose. Will you continue
[30:07]to protect predators or will you finally protect survivors? >> Transparency is justice, release the files, end the secrecy, and stand with
[30:18]us in declaring that no one, no billionaires, no politicians, not world leaders is above the law. And let me announce now, several of us
[30:35]Epstein survivors have been discussing creating our own list of names. >> We know the names.
[30:47][Applause] >> Many of us were abused by them. >> That's right. Now together as survivors, we will confidentially compile the names we all know were regularly in the
[30:58]Epstein world and it will be done by survivors and for survivors. >> No one else is involved. Stay tuned for
[31:09]more details on that. >> Because history is watching and so are the women who will come after us. >> That's right.
[31:18]>> Thank you. [Applause]
[31:31]If that's not bravery, I do not know what is. >> Okay, we're bringing up another group of women. Ashley, Danny, Jess, Haley, and
[31:43]Wendy. Come on up. [Music] [Applause] [Music] Okay. Well, this will be fun.
[32:04]>> So, my name is Ashley Rubé. Um, and I am a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein and Galain Maxwell. Some things I want to say
[32:14]to any survivors out there who feel like they don't matter. It It doesn't matter if you went once or countless times. We were groomed. We were manipulated. And
[32:26]we were taken advantage of. >> For decades, survivors have been suffocated by speculation. We've been mocked. We've been doubted. We've been ret-raumatized.
[32:36]while those that hide in secret while those responsible hide in secrecy. Why don't we deserve justice? This is not partisan. However, this is
[32:48]very political as the only path to justice is through our political system and this is about justice. This is about accountability. This is about protecting
[32:59]the innocence of our children and honoring the dignity of survivors. Everywhere we turn, the story follows us. It's in headlines, jokes, music,
[33:10]grocery store checkout lines, random conversations that you hear people having in restaurants. For more than 20 years, we've been unable to escape it. And every time new
[33:21]promises are made, our sparks of hope are lit, only to be extinguished again. We are tired. However,
[33:33]we are not going away. >> That's right. >> We will not stop or give up. And we will be on the front
[33:44]lines of this battle. We are no longer scared. And let's be clear, there were so many
[33:53]enabling adults. Those enablers actively turned a blind eye and they are the greatest danger. >> And you know who you are,
[34:06]>> as do we. You allowed us to be abused for a fat check and a cushy life, which you still have.
[34:15]And to those in power, hear us clearly. Do your job. >> Release what needs to be released. >> Yes. and hold those responsible
[34:26]accountable. Survivors, sorry. >> Thank you.
[34:37]>> Survivors deserve peace. Survivors deserve truth. Survivors deserve justice. And to my fellow survivors,
[34:47]your voice matters, your story matters, and you matter. Together we are louder than the silence. Together we will not stop until justice
[34:57]is done. [Applause]
[35:12]>> Good afternoon. Um, wow, a lot of people showed up for us today. I wasn't expecting all this support. Um, what an incredible feeling. And
[35:23]thank you for everybody for being here. I'm going to try to make this as quick so the other girls uh don't have to be crunching for time. My name is Haley Robson. I came out in
[35:34]2019 on the documentary Filthy Rich. I have been very focused on bringing more awareness to all of the survivors. I am so proud to stand with them. I am so
[35:44]proud to be up here to support them because they deserve all the love and support. And I just want to say to the women who chose this moment to come out for the very first time about your
[35:55]abuse, I cannot think of a more important, greater purpose in life than to stand in solidarity when time is against us. When the politicians have
[36:06]made us an enemy, when the world is watching and everybody is hoping for some type of result. Thank you for choosing this moment for the first time
[36:16]to be so brave to come out and stand in solidarity. I prayed for a moment. I prayed for this moment where God would would fill us
[36:28]with reinforcements. I want to acknowledge all the women unfortunately that couldn't be here today because I think that is the only list of real great importance and we
[36:39]should never forget the voices that were not only silenced but that are not here today and we should never forget the sacrifices that they made.
[36:49]So today I would like to take a moment for Virginia Sky Danielle and Carolyn. Their voices were just as powerful and
[36:58]they were silenced just as much. And for some reason, I can feel their spirit, especially Virginia's today. She would be so proud and she would be so beside
[37:09]herself to see this one moment. We have all came together to unite. And for our government and for the politicians who have taken our trauma and have weaponized it against us, making it
[37:20]unbearable, making it unlivable, making it hard to move on in a life that we wish to live in happiness and joy and peace and injustice that can only come
[37:30]from within at this point. And we have gotten to this point. Shame on you. Shame on you for using our trauma to weaponize this moment.
[37:41]>> We are not going to be fooled by your trickery. We are not going to be fooled by the lies, by the conspiracy theories. We are the keys to this situation. We
[37:52]have the truth >> and the FBI knows the truth. The government knows the truth. You may pull this the wool over the sheep's eyes, but we are the keys. We know who was
[38:03]involved. We know the game. We know the players. And we are sitting here for 20 years waiting for you to get up and do something.
[38:14]>> Well, guess what? Your time is up. And now we're doing it. [Applause]
[38:26]>> How do you follow that? Um, hello everybody. My name is Wendy Pasante and I was abused by Jeffrey
[38:34]Epstein when I was 14 years old. Um, I'm not here to relive what happened. I'm here to be counted and to make sure others are counted, too. I once believed
[38:46]my silence was strength. Hold it together. Don't draw attention. Uh, today I know that strength sounds like my voice. It sounds like everybody's
[38:56]voices up here. >> Um, Silence only protects predators, not children. >> That's right. >> People ask, "What about the victims?
[39:08]We're here. >> We're here today, and there's more of us." Uh I stand with many who are still finding their words. I live in a world
[39:17]where being understood is a struggle, where people in power would rather sweep us under the rug in hopes that we'll go away. We won't.
[39:27]>> Um Being a survivor is not a headline. It's our life. >> We have to live it. It's panic in a grocery store. It's smiling at work
[39:39]while my hands tremble. It's waking up at 3:00 a.m. with my heart racing and not knowing why. It's living with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, and your nervous systems on guard at all times,
[39:50]even in the safe safest room around the safest people. >> Healing isn't tidy. It's therapy. It's weight list. It's
[40:01]trying a medication and trying again over and over for years. It's setting boundaries with some people who won't understand. Survival isn't weakness. It's wisdom
[40:13]we've earned. If you are a survivor hearing me, your voice is never too late, too much, or too little. If all you could do was show up today, you're
[40:23]already trying to make a difference. You you do not owe anyone your story. You are owed safety, care, and belief.
[40:34]Your breath is proof that harm does not get the last word. I'm not asking anyone to take a political side. I really don't even
[40:42]follow a lot of polit politics. Um I'm asking you to take a stand in solidarity. Protect the vulnerable, not the powerful. protect children and
[40:54]survivors, >> not titles and reputations. >> Our silence doesn't keep us safe. >> And I hope today's courage from all of
[41:06]us ladies can help someone else be safer tomorrow. >> We are here and we refuse to be erased.
[41:17]So, thank you guys for listening to all of us and being here today. [Applause]
[41:26][Music] [Applause] >> Hello everybody. Thank you for being
[41:40]here. As I stand here today and look around, I want to acknowledge
[41:49]what it feels like to be in the presence of these incredibly brave, powerful women that I stand up here with. I am so empowered by each and every one
[42:01]of your fortitude and I am following in the brave footsteps of those that came before me. While we each have our own stories and walk down different paths of life, we
[42:12]are bonded together as survivors. When I look into these beautiful faces, I am reminded that we all started our
[42:21]journeys with big hopes and dreams. Jeffrey Epstein and his co-conspirator Gillian Maxwell stole and systematically
[42:31]destroyed those dreams. We are a mosaic of shattered hopes and dreams at their hands. >> As an aspiring dancer, the manipulation came in forms of offering me dance
[42:43]studio space, discussing opportunities to meet with ballet masters, and aiding a very ill family member of mine. None of which would ever come to pass.
[42:52]Instead, I was left in a cycle of abuse that wore me down and broke me. When it happened, I would have to
[43:02]completely disassociate. Similar to a coma, my brain would need to protect itself. So, I would retreat and choreographing in my own head to escape the cruel acts that were being carried
[43:12]out on my body. After I would go to the studio, bundled in giant baggy clothing. I remember standing there staring in the
[43:20]mirror as if it were an empty void. I was past the point of tears. There was nothing left. I was a hollow shell of myself. I could no longer watch my body move,
[43:32]let alone dance. He had taken something sacred from me. Two decades later, I am still experiencing lingering effects of what
[43:42]happened to me as a teenager. I am just one story in the mosaic of women taking back their power by confronting the
[43:51]horrific truths of their pasts due to Jeffrey Epstein and Gillian Maxwell. We stand here today in the nation's capital for no other reason than to say that
[44:02]women's voices will not be marginalized. >> We stand together as a mosaic of stories, but we're also finding our way
[44:13]back to ourselves. We are reclaiming the fragmented shards of the hopes and dreams of our past to fa to paint a better future for the next generation of
[44:23]women. This story has come to Washington to be told. >> We will be heard. Thank you. [Applause]
[44:43]>> My name is Jess Michaels and I'm a 1991 Jeffrey Epstein survivor. 27 years. For 27 years, I thought I was
[44:54]the only one that Jeffrey Epstein raped. I believed I was alone and I was kept silent by the shame that was inside me
[45:02]and by the fear outside in the world. But I wasn't the only one. None of us were. And what once kept us silent now fuels
[45:14]that fire and the power of our voices. We are not the footnotes in some
[45:21]infamous predators tabloid article. We are the experts and the subjects of this story. >> Yes.
[45:32]>> We are the proof that fear did not break us. >> And we don't we don't just speak for ourselves but for every survivor whose story is still unspoken.
[45:43]>> For those not with us today. for Virginia whose courage lit the path and opened the door for us to walk through.
[45:54]This is what power looks like. Survivors united, voices joined, refusing to be dismissed.
[46:04]>> Know this, justice and accountability are not favors from the powerful. >> They are obligations decades overdue.
[46:14][Music] This moment began with Epstein's crimes, but it's going to be remembered for survivors demanding justice, demanding
[46:24]truth, demanding accountability. And we will not stop until survivor voices shape justice, transform culture, and define the
[46:36]future. [Applause] We are no longer whispers. We are one powerful voice too loud to
[46:46]ignore and we will never be silenced again. >> Thank you. [Applause]
[47:09][Applause] Okay, we're in the home stretch. Um, we
[47:19]are going to bring up Eric Padulli who is a lawyer. Sometimes survivors are ready to be seen. They're not ready to be heard. And
[47:30]so we would love to bring you up because you represent so many survivors who are so critical to this story.
[47:40][Applause] >> Good morning everyone. My name is uh
[47:50]Eric Fidali uh and I've had the privilege of representing up to 11 survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. Uh, and one of them is standing next to me here
[47:59]today. Uh, this is Rosa. [Applause] >> Uh, you may not realize this, but what I
[48:10]just did is the first time anyone has ever said Rosa's name publicly as being attached and being abused by Jeffrey Epste. Thank you.
[48:26]>> And this is also the first time she has ever appeared publicly as a survivor of Jeffrey Epstein. And I say that because it was last night that she flew into
[48:38]Washington DC inspired by the solidarity of all of you, by the compassion of all of you, and by the courage of all of you
[48:46]to be here today. And I'm so proud of Rosa and I'm so
[48:56]proud of all of you. But the truth is Rosa shouldn't be here today. >> Rosa shouldn't have to be here today. And I'm going to tell you why. Because
[49:06]Rosa was trafficked from Usuzbekistan under the guise of a modeling contract in 2009. That means that Rosa wouldn't be here
[49:18]today if Alex Aosta hadn't had Jeffrey Epstein in his grasp, had what every single law enforcement officer dreams of
[49:29]to stop a predator in his tracks. And what did he do? He gave him a slap on the wrist and led him to continue to abuse. And had he not, FC never would have met Rosa and
[49:40]Rosa would not have to be here today. But none of you should have to be here today. >> None of you should have to be here today because if when Jeffrey Epstein was
[49:51]finally arrested in 2016 and under federal custody, he wouldn't have been allowed to take his own life and avoid the accountability and justice you all deserve.
[50:02]And none of you should be here today because Galain Maxwell should not have been given a platform to deny the crimes against her who was convicted.
[50:13][Applause] who was convicted of trafficking and tricking 14-year-old girls. >> She should not have been given a platform and she should not have been
[50:25]rewarded after that platform in a minimum security resort [Music] [Applause] >> and none of you should have to be here
[50:35]today because they should just release the files. No more slow rolling, no more meetings, no more strategy, no more interviews
[50:44]behind closed doors. Release the files and give you all and Rosa the accountability, the exposure, and most importantly, the closure you all deserve.
[50:56]>> Thank you. Our last speaker this morning is no stranger
[51:11]to the plight of survivors. And so with that, I'd love to welcome Gloria Allred to wrap us up here.
[51:18][Applause] Give a big round of applause to all the
[51:30]survivors and all the victims and all the supporters today. I commend you and it matters that you're here.
[51:41]Let me just say your voice is important, but power only recognizes power. And for
[51:51]many years, we have not exercised our power in a way that helped win change. And you all, and we all have been
[52:01]betrayed. >> I represent Alicia Arden and 26 other brave survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and some of Elaine Maxwell, Colleen Maxwell.
[52:13]And in 1997, my client Alicia Arden went to the police in Santa Monica and said that she had been
[52:23]the victim of sexually inappropriate conduct by Jeffrey Epstein when he invited her to be auditioning for
[52:31]Victoria's Secret catalog. And she went to the police and they said, "Why don't you think about it before you file a police report?" She
[52:42]thought about it and came back the following week and filed the first documented police report against Jeffrey Epstein in 1997. And you all were betrayed because there
[52:53]was no prosecution. Believe women. Let's hear it. Believe women. Believe women. Believe women.
[53:03]And then the victims and all of us were betrayed when in Florida Mr. Aosta made that deal. US attorney is
[53:14]for the Southern District of Florida made that deal that instead of 60 felony counts that could have been filed by the United States attorney,
[53:25]two counts were filed by the state attorney and Jeffrey Epstein without having a trial
[53:34]was able to go to his office every day as part of the sentence and just sleep in the jail at night for 13 months. Is that justice? >> No. >> You were betrayed.
[53:46]>> Betrayed. >> And then of course there was New York. New York where Jeffrey Epstein was brought in, arrested. I saw him at the
[53:56]last hearing in federal court. And so many victims and so many survivors thought, "At last there's justice." But instead of justice, there was a dead
[54:07]body, the Metropolitan Correctional Center. And questions are still being asked. Was it suicide? Was it homicide? But the victims never got to testify at
[54:18]trial and confront that sexual predator. Was that justice? >> This is We're overdue for justice. >> We're not going to be waiting for
[54:29]justice. We are fighting for justice. [Applause] And let me tell you, no more talk of the word pedophiles,
[54:40]>> which only means a man who is attracted to children. We're not talking about pedophiles. We're talking about sexual predators and child molesters. Let's get
[54:52]the word in about what the crime was that they committed. Do you agree? [Music] [Applause] And finally, let me just say
[55:03]they took these predators took advantage of vulnerable children of vulnerable adults. We know how vulnerable women can be and they abused their power and they
[55:15]abused their trust. And it's time to meet power with power. There are three stages of evolution. The first is victim. The second is survivor. And the
[55:26]third is fighter for change. Are you going to be fighters for change? >> Not just today. >> But every day.
[55:35]>> Not just in politics in Congress, but in lawsuits, in speaking to people, your co-workers, your children, your mothers.
[55:47]Help them. support them to stand up to win justice because nobody has ever given women and children any rights. We've always had to fight to win them.
[55:57]We've had to fight to keep them. Will you fight that fight? >> And I leave you with this. One of my favorite sayings,
[56:08]pray for the dead. And that's for Virginia Roberts and all those who didn't make it here today. Pray for the dead, but fight like hell for the
[56:17]living. >> Keep up the fight. Let me hear it. Keep up the fight. Keep up the fight. Keep up the fight. Keep up the fight. Thank you
[56:28]very much. >> Thank you everybody for coming.
[56:43]One last unbelievable rallying cheer for all the survivors here. >> What do we want? >> When do we want it? >> Now.
[56:53]>> Okay, everybody, there's the press conference starting in a few minutes. Do you want to just go on over um and we'll meet you over there, whoever wants to. Otherwise, stay here. We have this space
[57:05]for a while longer. >> Thank you so much.