Warning: This story includes mentions of self harm and sexual assault
“Anyone involved who’s a survivor has been naming names to our attorneys, to the FBI, to the proper authorities, for decades.”
That’s what Lisa Phillips, a survivor of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, said in an interview with CTV News Channel on Wednesday, adding that “the names are out there” already.
The U.S. House and Senate passed a bill Tuesday — then U.S. President Donald Trump signed it into law Wednesday — that would require the U.S Justice Department (DOJ) to release all files and communications related to Epstein within 30 days.
In a joint interview, two Epstein survivors — Phillips and Sharlene Rochard told CTV News Channel early on Wednesday they “feel seen, validated and heard, for the first time” after the House and Senate’s vote on Tuesday.
“For me, it’s been almost six years, and for many of the survivors, it’s been decades,” Phillips said, adding that it was “overwhelming” and felt “really, really good” to have the support of the U.S. Congress.
“It’s been five (U.S. presidential) administrations, almost 30 years of fighting,” said Rochard, calling it an “amazing moment in history.”
Phillips, a former model who says she was assaulted by Epstein at 21, now runs a podcast dedicated to survivors of abuse. Rochard, also a former model and actress, was born in London, Ont. and says she was later a victim of Epstein’s.
Epstein, an international financier known to have ties to members of the global elite, died by apparent suicide in 2019.
Phillips said that it was the job of the DOJ to go through the evidence and find people related to the abuse.
“It’s their job to release the names.”
‘Not a hoax’
Trump’s political team had previously campaigned on releasing the Epstein files, changed course after being elected, but recently encouraged Republicans to vote for the files release.
“House Republicans should vote to release the Epstein files, because we have nothing to hide,” the Republican president wrote late on Sunday on social media, calling the matter a “hoax” perpetuated by Democrats.
“This is not a hoax,” Rochard said. ”Obviously we’re real, we’re here, we have a voice. If it was a hoax we wouldn’t be here.” She claimed that the case had been reported 30 years ago to the FBI.
Phillips suggested that Epstein survivors could stand with Trump when he signed the bill, “to know that he’s on our side, that would be nice.”
“It would be nice if he acknowledged us, for the first time,” Rochard agreed.
‘Virginia would be so proud’
Virginia Giuffre, another Epstein survivor, took her own life in April. Her memoir, “Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice,” was published posthumously.
Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell recruited Giuffre to help find other girls for Epstein, according to the memoir.
“The faces of the girls I recruited will always haunt me,” she wrote.
Giuffre later became an advocate for survivors of abuse, with Phillips saying she “would be so proud” of the progress other survivors have made.
“This what she was fighting for, she was fighting for all those kids at home, protection of our kids, our children, so many of us are mothers. We just think about our children, our children are the same ages we were.”
Giuffre “released over 30 names” of people linked to Epstein, according to Phillips. Those names included Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a former U.K. prince who was stripped of his title by his brother, King Charles III, due to his connection with Epstein.
“When you look at us now, we are adult women, it’s more powerful to see what we looked like at that time when we were abused,” added Rochard, talking about a campaign featuring pictures of survivors’ younger selves. She said it important to show how young the victims were.
Phillips said that the survivors would fight for all of the files to be released. She wanted survivors to be able to “connect the dots of our past, some of us are just confused of what happened to us back then.”
She said that new information was still being found out as more survivors come forward, calling it a “joint effort” between hundreds of different victims.
Rochard wanted the files to be used to help survivors, not to “sensationalize” them or events.
With files from The Associated Press
If you or someone you know is struggling with sexual assault or trauma, the following resources are available to support people in crisis:
- Call 911 if you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety.
- The Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres' website has a comprehensive list of sexual assault centres in Canada that offer information, advocacy and counselling.
- The Ending Violence Association of Canada‘s website has links to helplines, support services and locations across Canada that offer sexual assault kits.
- Indian Residential School Survivors Society crisis lines: +1 866 925 4419 or +1 800 721 0066 (24/7)
- Toronto Rape Crisis Centre crisis line: +1 416 597 8808 (24/7)
- Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline: +1 833 900 1010 (24/7)
- Trans Lifeline: +1 877 330 6366
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: call or text 988 (24/7)
- Sexual Misconduct Support and Resource Centre for current and former Canadian Armed Forces members: +1 844 750 1648
- Read about your rights as a victim on the Canadian Resource Centre for Victims of Crime website.
Correction
This article has been updated to clarify that Donald Trump referred to the release of the Epstein files as a "hoax" perpetuated by the Democrats.
