Several people who were abused by Jeffrey Epstein say they felt humiliated and angry when Attorney General Pam Bondi wouldn't turn around and look at them during a heated congressional hearing on Wednesday.
Bondi, the head of law enforcement in the United States, went before a House committee to explain why the Justice Department was handling documents related to the late sex offender Epstein. She said she felt sorry for the victims in her opening statement, but she never looked at the group of almost a dozen Epstein survivors sitting right behind her.
Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal from Washington told the women to stand up and raise their hands if they had not been able to talk to people from the Justice Department. She then told Bondi to look them in the eye and say sorry for not completely removing their names from files that were made public.
Bondi said no and later called the moment "theatrics" by Democrats. A picture of the survivors with their hands up quickly went viral on social media.
"Bondi didn't even turn around and acknowledge our existence. We knew this day would be hard, but I was so angry that they didn't even acknowledge our basic humanity. I could feel my body shaking with anger and frustration.
— Danielle Bensky, a survivor of Epstein
Danielle Bensky, who was abused by Epstein as a teenager, told reporters afterward that the refusal made her feel like she had been abused again. "She's gaslighting the American people over and over," Bensky said. "The DOJ needs to do its job and let everyone see the files."
Another survivor in the room, Sharlene Rochard, said she felt embarrassed and started to cry when Bondi wouldn't look at them. Anouska de Georgiou, a British woman who was abused by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, said the moment was scary. "How do you expect other victims to feel safe coming forward if you can't even acknowledge survivors of sex crimes?"
The viral picture showed the survivors standing together with their hands raised while Bondi continued to testify without looking back.
Bondi Pushes Back, Accuses Democrats of Politics
Bondi, who used to be President Trump's personal lawyer, strongly answered questions from Democrats. She said that lawmakers were using the Epstein files to take attention away from Trump's policy successes and even asked if they had said sorry for trying to impeach him in the past.
The hearing quickly turned into a partisan fight, with Bondi throwing insults at committee Democrats and criticizing Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, who co-sponsored a bill that would make Epstein records public.
Still Angry About the Release of the Epstein Files
Since last year, when she gave conservative influencers binders of Epstein-related material at a White House event, Bondi has been criticized. There were no major new revelations in the binders, which made Trump's supporters want full, unredacted disclosure even more.
Democrats have asked Bondi many times to look into the people named in the documents as possible co-conspirators. She told the survivors that any credible claim of criminal behavior would be looked into in great detail.
The hearing got heated and partisan.
The session turned into a heated argument, with Bondi calling a senior Democrat a "washed-up loser lawyer" and refusing to take part in what she called "political stunts."
Some Democrats said that Bondi's aggressive style was meant to please Trump, which could have brought in more support from his base but turned off others.
✓ Bondi refused to face or talk to Epstein survivors
✓ He said Democrats were using the hearing for political gain
✓ He defended the way the Justice Department handled Epstein's files
✓ Criticized Republican co-sponsor of records-release bill
Survivors and advocates say that the incident shows how frustrated they are with how federal authorities have handled investigations and document releases related to Epstein.
Survivors Want Full Honesty and Respect
The tense hearing underscored deep frustrations among Epstein survivors about the Justice Department's approach and the treatment of victims years after Epstein's death.
Advocates say that releasing all of the remaining files without any redactions is necessary for healing and accountability. Survivors say that being ignored in such a public place makes them feel even more like the system is leaving them out.
This is more than just us. When people who have been sexually assaulted are not recognized, it sends a message to other victims that they may not be believed or valued.— Anouska de Georgiou, a survivor of Epstein
As more and more people call for full openness in the Epstein case, survivors keep asking federal officials to put the voices of victims first and seek justice without political interference.
The emotional hearing was a strong reminder that many people who were hurt by Epstein still feel let down by the justice system years later.
