Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse are revealing the enduring scars of his actions, with one highlighting the evident change in her school yearbooks, as they prepare to meet Congress to demand accountability and transparency. This push comes amid ongoing legal and emotional battles decades after the abuse occurred.
Ashley Rubright, who met Epstein as a teenager, described to CNN how her school yearbooks from before and after encountering him show a dramatic shift, with friends’ comments evolving from cheerful messages like ‘Have a great summer!’ to concerned warnings such as ‘Don’t do anything stupid this summer.’ She didn’t recognize the change at the time but later connected it to Epstein’s influence, which led her to become angry and move out of her parents’ home at age 17.
Courtney Wild, another survivor, had a promising start with straight A’s, first chair trumpet, and cheerleading captain roles, but her life turned difficult due to her parents’ addiction and homelessness. She met Epstein at 14 and would sneak into his lavish estate, where he groomed her in rooms like the massage area, leading to abuse that left her traumatized and feeling disgusted with herself. Wild emphasizes how this experience, compounded by the justice system’s failures, constitutes ‘re-abuse.’
The 2007 plea deal, approved by then-US attorney Alexander Acosta, allowed Epstein to avoid federal prosecution and serve only 13 months in a state facility with work release, a decision victims say violated their right to notification. This deal has fueled ongoing scrutiny and calls for accountability, with survivors feeling let down by the government’s handling of the case.
Randee Kogan, a therapist working with the survivors, notes that constant media coverage and public speculation act as a form of imprisonment, triggering emotions, flashbacks, and anxiety that make the trauma feel current despite the years passed. This ongoing attention affects daily life, from strange looks when dropping kids at school to hearing discussions in public places.
Jena-Lisa Jones, who also met Epstein young, shares how he was her first sexual experience, manipulating her when she was 14 and financially struggling. She describes cycling through emotions of rage, wanting to ‘take them down,’ and despair, fearing the search for answers will never end, even decades later.
This week, Wild and Jones are meeting with lawmakers to push for the full release of Epstein case files with victim names redacted, better protections for survivors, and answers about why those in power enabled the abuse. They fear other undisclosed survivors could be outed or that abuse videos might be made public, and they seek non-partisan unity on justice issues.
Their advocacy underscores a broader need for systemic changes in handling sexual abuse cases, emphasizing compassion, transparency, and accountability to prevent similar failures and support victims in healing and moving forward.
