“We Have Power Together”: Epstein Survivors’ Emotional Victory on Capitol Hill

Early Tuesday morning a small gathering outside the Cannon office building swelled into several dozen women, each greeted with embraces and warm hellos. The scene resembled a reunion, but these women were bound by shared trauma: survivors of Jeffrey Epstein who had come to Washington, D.C., to demand the release of Epstein files and press lawmakers for transparency and accountability.

The group held a news conference, met with lawmakers and moved through the halls of Congress together — offering pep talks, water and quiet reassurances as they awaited a pivotal vote.

Dani Bensky, who says she met Epstein as a young ballerina, admitted she had written her remarks the night before with only a few hours of sleep. Laughing about the late-night scramble, she hurried from the press event to a scheduled meeting with a lawmaker, supported by fellow survivors who reassured her she had done well.

At one point the survivors comforted Republican Rep. Nancy Mace, who emerged into her Longworth building foyer in tears while navigating her own legal battles. Several women embraced Mace after she told them, “You’ve given me hope that one day I might get justice.” Mace — one of only four House Republicans to support a discharge petition to force a House vote on the Epstein files — said bluntly, “Yeah, I ran out of fucks to give a long time ago,” and reminded the group that this moment was historic for women who rarely get such opportunities.

Annie Farmer: “Every time a large group gathers, it completely changes the dynamic and the experience. It really does move us from feeling fearful to feeling like we are feared. We have power together.”

Annie Farmer, who says she was 16 when Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell abused her, repeatedly phoned her sister Maria — one of the earliest known accusers — to update her as the day unfolded.

At 2:43 p.m., the House gavel fell: the bill to release Epstein-related files passed by an overwhelming 427–1 vote. Survivors wept with relief and embraced; Farmer immediately called her sister to share the news.

Though not present in person, Virginia Giuffre’s presence was felt throughout the day. Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of Epstein’s trafficking ring, died by suicide in August. In a posthumous memoir published last month, she wrote about being trafficked to powerful people and fearing she might die a sex slave.

At the survivors’ press conference, Giuffre’s brother, Sky Roberts, honored her impact: “You didn’t just make a small dent. You made a monumental impact... You built an unbreakable wall that will protect future generations from the horrors of abuse.” Tears streamed among those standing behind him.

Many survivors wore brightly colored butterfly pins in Giuffre’s memory — a symbol she chose for metamorphosis and the possibility of post-traumatic growth. Bensky and Farmer wore jeweled brooches gifted by Roberts and said the symbol reflects Giuffre’s belief that survivors can transform pain into purpose.

That evening the group held a vigil for victims living and dead. While Farmer honored Giuffre, Bensky learned in a whispered update that the Senate had agreed to pass the measure immediately — a faster path to final approval than many had expected. Survivors who had braced for a long, arduous fight found themselves celebrating a rare legislative victory.

“Words will never be able to describe this day,” Bensky said. “We feel like we finally got a win, and that feels so good.” The day combined grief and catharsis, private consolation and public advocacy, as survivors used collective strength to press for transparency in one of the country’s most notorious abuse cases.

Reporting: Jeremy Moorhead and Andrew Christman.