The Jeffrey Epstein scandal has been with us for years. For the last few months, survivors, lawmakers, and advocates have been pressing for the release of Epstein’s full files. That includes the so-called “birthday book” as well as newly unearthed emails as evidence of a culture of secrecy and permissiveness that enabled his crimes. Among the voices leading the charge is Liz Stein, a survivor of Epstein’s trafficking ring. Stein has spoken candidly about what it means to see powerful people dismiss evidence, minimize victims’ experiences, and attempt to politicize what she insists is, at its core, a crime of sex trafficking.

A Birthday Book Raises Questions

The latest round of controversy stems from Epstein’s “birthday book,” a collection of letters and notes gathered by his circle. The book is a hyper creepy look at the elite world that Epstein ran with. Inside, you’ll find everything from crude jokes to deeply unsettling references about young women. The book’s centerpiece is an alleged note that features Donald Trump’s signature. Although, many Republicans have pushed back on this. Legal experts who reviewed the book say it paints a disturbing picture of the casual, permissive environment that surrounded Epstein, one in which inappropriate comments were treated as harmless fun.

Survivors Demand Focus

Liz Stein and others have been clear: what happened was sex trafficking, not a political game. Stein argues that framing the case as partisan only serves to distract from the thousands of victims, many of them young women and girls, whose lives were forever altered. She calls the continued dismissal of evidence and survivors’ testimony “collective disgust” with how the case has been handled across five administrations. For Stein, the birthday book simply underscores what survivors have always said — Epstein thrived in an atmosphere of complicity.

Lawmakers Push for Transparency

In Congress, momentum is building to force the release of Epstein’s files. A bipartisan discharge petition now sits just one signature shy of the 218 needed to bring the matter to the House floor. Rep. James Walkinshaw of Virginia, newly sworn in after a special election, added his name last week. The Treasury Department has also said it will turn over Epstein’s financial records, a move that could shed light on the scope of his operations and the people who enabled them. Survivors hope this is the beginning of real accountability.

The Emails Likely Tell The Whole Story

Bloomberg recently obtained 18,000 of Epstein’s emails, including hundreds with Ghislaine Maxwell. The correspondence appears to contradict her claims that she distanced herself from him years before his Florida conviction. In one exchange, Epstein even asked Maxwell which crime she preferred he plead guilty to. For legal analysts, the emails show why Maxwell was charged with perjury and why her credibility has long been in doubt. For survivors, they are confirmation of what they’ve always known — that Maxwell was not a bystander, but an active participant.

A Survivor’s Message to the Public

Asked what she would say to her younger self, Stein urged young people in similar situations to tell someone, and if that person doesn’t listen, to keep telling until someone does. “Even if nobody listens, be proud of yourself because you spoke your truth,” she said. Her words cut through the noise of partisan squabbles and legal maneuvering. For Stein, the fight is not about politics. It’s about survivors finding strength, and the world finally listening.