INTERVIEW

“I Was the Perfect Victim”: A Narrative History of Surviving Epstein

Donald Trump returned to the White House vowing to release the so-called Epstein files. Millions of pages of documents later, little action has been taken, and the women who were subjected to his abuse were left feeling retraumatized and let down. Vanity Fair speaks to five Epstein survivors about how they met the predator, his horrifying grooming methods, and their ongoing fights for justice.
By Abby Ellin and Stacy Schneider Photographer Miranda Barnes
Dani Bensky Lara Blume McGee and Liz Stein.
Dani Bensky, Lara Blume McGee, and Liz Stein.

They came from different worlds and different circumstances, with different dreams. Some met Jeffrey Epstein through job interviews. Others were lured by his girlfriend and coconspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, or by other young girls like themselves, who were paid by Epstein to recruit them. They were promised Ivy League educations, lucrative connections, medical treatment, modeling assignments, careers in art and dance.

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