Survivors of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sexual abuse have voiced profound disappointment and anger following the US Department of Justice's release of documents, which they say was incomplete and heavily censored.
Survivors Accuse DOJ of Defying Transparency Law
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, survivor Liz Stein stated she believes the Department of Justice is "really brazenly going against the Epstein Files Transparency Act". This law mandated the full release of all related documents by a deadline of Friday, 18 November 2025.
Stein expressed concerns shared by many survivors about a potential "slow rollout of incomplete information without any context". She emphasised that their fight for justice has spanned decades and multiple political administrations, with a simple demand: "We just want all of the evidence of these crimes out there".
Decades of Delays and a 1996 FBI Report
Another survivor, Lisa Phillips, who met Epstein in her 20s and suffered years of abuse, told CNN she believes the DOJ was "protecting themselves, not the victims" by releasing only partial files. "I feel like they have so much information to start connecting the dots and for survivors to get justice. But as you're seeing, we just keep stalling," she added.
Legal representatives highlighted one significant document among those released: a 1996 FBI report. This report documented an attempt by survivor Maria Farmer to report her abuse by Epstein and his associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, to authorities nearly three decades ago.
Jennifer Freeman, a lawyer for Maria Farmer, stated: "Had the government done their job, and properly investigated Maria's report, over 1,000 victims could have been spared and 30 years of trauma avoided." Farmer is currently suing the federal government.
A Path to Justice at a 'Great Cost'
Despite the frustrations, survivors see the document release as a crucial, if painful, step. Liz Stein acknowledged the process comes at a "great cost" to victims but expressed hope it would ultimately prove to be a "path to justice".
The survivors, including Sharlene Rochard, Jess Michaels, and Annie Farmer, appeared alongside Sky Roberts, the brother of Epstein's late victim Virginia Giuffre, at a press conference on the day of the release to condemn the DOJ's actions and call for full transparency.
