An Epstein survivor known only as ‘Jane Doe’ has voiced grave concerns that the Department of Justice’s bungled release of Jeffrey Epstein-related documents is endangering victims who are currently seeking assistance from the FBI. In an exclusive interview with CNN, she revealed that her name was left unredacted multiple times in the files, a failure that she says undermines trust in federal authorities and could deter others from coming forward.
The Justice Department began releasing thousands of documents last week under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which required disclosure by December 19, 2025. However, the rollout has been marred by inconsistent redactions, with some victims’ identities exposed while other sections are heavily blacked out. Jane Doe, who reported Epstein to the FBI in 2009 after experiencing abuse, discovered her name publicly visible in the online repository over the weekend, despite alerting DOJ officials to the issue.
She described feeling mortified and fearful, emphasizing that the mishandling signals a broader failure to protect survivors. ‘I fear for the little girl who’s calling the FBI right now and asking for help,’ Jane Doe told CNN, highlighting how the lapse could discourage current victims from reporting crimes. Her concerns are echoed by more than a dozen other survivors and family members of the late victim Virginia Giuffre, who issued a joint statement criticizing the DOJ’s approach.
The survivors’ statement pointed to ‘abnormal and extreme redactions with no explanation’ and noted that some victims’ names were left unredacted, causing ‘real and immediate harm.’ They also expressed frustration over the difficulty in navigating the DOJ’s ‘Epstein Library’ to find information relevant to their own cases, calling the process opaque and inadequate.
DOJ spokesperson Chad Gilmartin responded by stating that the department is in contact with victims and their representatives, and is working to protect identities through redactions as documents are released on a rolling basis. However, survivors like Jane Doe and Jess Michaels, another Epstein survivor involved in the statement, said they have not been contacted by the Justice Department about the files, contradicting the DOJ’s claims.
CBS News coverage of the file releases adds context, detailing how the documents include grand jury testimonies, photos, and investigative records that shed light on Epstein’s abuse network. For instance, files show that the FBI was informed about Epstein as early as 1996, but no action was taken for years, allowing the abuse to continue. This historical negligence compounds current frustrations over the redaction errors.
The mishandling has sparked criticism from lawmakers, including Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who co-authored the transparency act. He called on the DOJ to stop protecting powerful individuals and to release more comprehensive records, including FBI witness interviews and emails from Epstein’s computer. The controversy underscores ongoing challenges in balancing transparency with victim protection in high-profile cases.
Moving forward, survivors are pausing to assess their next steps, while the DOJ continues to review and release additional documents in the coming weeks. The incident raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to supporting victims of sexual abuse and ensuring accountability, potentially influencing future policies on sensitive document disclosures.
