For the first time, women who have publicly identified themselves as survivors of Jeffrey Epstein spoke before a legislative body at the New York State Capitol Monday.
“My name is Alexandra Golematis, and I am a victim and survivor of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse,” Golematis said during the hearing. “This is the first time that I have spoken out publicly.”
Golematis and three other Epstein survivors shared their experiences with the state Senate’s Codes Committee.
“I met Jeffrey Epstein in 2001,” said Carine De Silva. “I was told I could give him a massage to make money. No one ever told me it was going to be sexual.”
De Silva testified she met Epstein when she was 17. Golematis said she was 14.
The testimony was organized by state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, who is sponsoring the Trafficking Survivor Recovery and Accountability Act along with two other bills from state Sens. Rachel May and Cordell Cleare.
The measures would allow courts to award punitive damages against an estate for sexual abuse, establish the crimes of sex trafficking of a vulnerable person and allow the use of closed-circuit television for vulnerable sexual assault witnesses.
“Far too often our system fails survivors, especially in court, where they may be forced to face the person who harmed them,” said May. “My bill addresses exactly a situation like that which unfolded in Syracuse, when a survivor was cross-examined by the accused. It will help protect vulnerable survivors by allowing remote testimony in certain cases, giving them a path to justice without forcing them to go through additional trauma.”
“One of my main missions as an elected official has been to eradicate human trafficking off the face of this earth; and with partners like Codes Chair Sen. Myrie, we have made progress,” said Cleare. “I hope that today’s codes meeting, where we hear from courageous survivors, will add the necessary momentum to fully and finally reform our laws.”
“This is about power and wealth operating with impunity,” said Myrie. “On this issue I think most New Yorkers feel just as strongly, whether they are a Democrat or a Republican, about holding people accountable who have caused great harm.”
Myrie’s proposal has Republican backing. He said his next step is finding a sponsor in the Assembly.
“We have very spirited debates about a lot of really important issues that come through this committee, but there are certain circumstances when the confluence of the world come and we are in complete agreement on things that need to be fixed and things we can do to make New York a better place,” said state Sen. Anthony Palumbo.
Attorneys for survivors say time is of the essence.
“The Epstein estate has a finite amount of money that is dwindling every day, every week, every month,” said Nathan Werksman. “Jeffrey Epstein was able to escape criminal liability, and his estate can escape civil liability if the estate is dwindled down to nothing.”