Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein are speaking out about the abuse they endured from the late financier and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell. Their testimonies come as the U.S. Congress approaches a potential vote on a bill aimed at releasing more documents related to the investigation.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives faces pressure from both Democrats and some Republicans to advance the Epstein Files Transparency Act. This legislation would allow for the release of additional documents, a move that could provoke backlash from former President Donald Trump, who has sought to downplay the Epstein controversy.

On Wednesday morning, several survivors gathered outside the U.S. Congress to advocate for the bill. Marina Lacerda, one of the first women to publicly accuse Epstein, shared her story for the first time. "I was only 14 years old when I met Jeffrey," she recalled. "It was the summer of high school, I was working three jobs to try and support my mum and my sister when a friend of mine in the neighborhood told me I could make $300 to give an older guy a massage. It went from a dream job to a nightmare."

Lacerda described the long-lasting effects of her abuse, including dropping out of school in the ninth grade. She revealed that at 17, she was told she was too old to continue working for Epstein. "The government is still in possession right now of the documents and the information that could help me remember and get over all of this maybe, and help me heal," she said. "It is so hard to begin to heal knowing that there are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do."

Another survivor, Anouska De Georgiou, expressed her commitment to speaking out for those who could not, including Virginia Giuffre, an Australian woman who died by suicide earlier this year. "Every day of this journey towards healing has come at a profound cost to my mental health, but I am here, I chose to come, because this bill really matters," she stated. "Consequences are not about punishment alone; they exist to deter future harm, to protect the vulnerable, and to set a standard of justice."

Bradley Edwards, an attorney representing Epstein's victims, emphasized the public's right to access the unreleased documents. "Unfortunately, all of the documents and evidence we have worked so hard to gather hide behind protective orders, confidentiality agreements, and bank secrecy laws," he said. "While we have seen the documents, you haven’t. And when you see the documents, you are going to be appalled."

The likelihood of the bill passing remains uncertain, as the House is narrowly controlled by Republicans. Recently, the U.S. Oversight Committee released over 33,000 pages of documents related to the Epstein case, including materials from the Department of Justice. However, efforts to secure the release of additional documents continue.

Trump has faced political pressure from some supporters to allow the release of more files but has resisted thus far. During a separate press conference in Washington, he dismissed the push for more documents, labeling it a "Democrat hoax." In response to his comments, Lacerda asserted that Epstein's victims would not be silenced. "This is not a hoax. Like, it's not going to go away," she said.