Epstein survivors push for release of files in latest PSA
Epstein survivors push for release of files in latest PSA
01:10
Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein are making a last-minute public push to convince House Republicans to vote to release all of the files related to the convicted sex offender with an emotional direct-to-camera appeal.
The public service announcement was created by World Without Exploitation, which fights against sexual exploitation, and released Sunday evening ahead of this week’s highly anticipated vote. In the video, a number of Epstein’s survivors hold up photos from their teenage years, when they allegedly first encountered the financier, who died by suicide in 2019.
“I suffered so much pain,” they say through tears, before stating how old they were when they met the sex offender: 14, 16, 17. “This is me, when I met Jeffrey Epstein.”
“There are about a thousand of us,” one survivor says; another voice says: “It’s time to bring the secrets out of the shadows.”
A message flashes on the screen that reads: “Call your congress member and demand they release ALL of the Epstein files.”
A discharge petition that would force the House to vote to release the Epstein files garnered the final necessary signature last week, and the lower chamber is expected to take a vote this week. While only four House Republicans supported the petition, CNN has reported that many more GOP “yes” votes are expected on releasing the files. Epstein survivors have made other efforts to lobby lawmakers, including sending a group letter to members of Congress.
“The survivors believe this vote offers an opportunity to stand firmly on the side of protecting minors from abuse,” Lauren Hersh, national director of World Without Exploitation, said in a statement. “They want the public to see how gaps in the system allowed a predator to operate for years and to understand what must change to prevent that from happening again.”