More than a dozen survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse have pushed back sharply against Melania Trump's recent statement urging Congress to hold public hearings featuring victims of the deceased financier's crimes.
In a statement released Monday, 13 survivors and the siblings of Virginia Giuffre,a prominent Epstein accuser who died last year,characterized the first lady's proposal as deflection rather than justice.
"Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have already shown extraordinary courage by coming forward, filing reports, and giving testimony," the group said. "Asking more of them now is a deflection of responsibility not justice."
The rebuke comes after Melania Trump called for Congress to organize hearings centered on victims' accounts. Her statement did not specify what legislative action she hoped would follow such proceedings.
The survivors' response suggests that those affected by Epstein's abuse view additional public testimony as an unnecessary burden. Their objection underscores deeper questions about who bears responsibility for accountability following the financier's 2019 death in jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
The group's statement included Giuffre's family members, highlighting the ongoing prominence of her case in public discourse surrounding Epstein's crimes. Giuffre had been among the most vocal and visible accusers before her death last year.
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