But what I do know so far is coming together with everyone—for me, it’s enabling me to continue. I came forward on my own to start. And I couldn’t imagine doing anything at this point on my own. In those moments when I’m having doubt or fear or hesitation, or wanting to just break down, I just know that I can look around [at the women] standing alongside me. I feel like we are all standing, arm in arm, like a chain. And I hope just as much as I’m holding onto their strength when I need it, I hope in return that I can [provide] strength to them as well.

Giuffre: It’s about being there for each other when we need it. And sometimes it takes that shoulder to cry on. Sometimes it takes that ear to listen. Sometimes it just takes a box of tissues and a bottle of wine. I think we’ve formed a beautiful relationship thus far. And I know for me, when you talk about the self-shame and anger and hate and the horrible feelings that go along with that—over time, it does transcend into a better place. Because by helping out, by speaking out, by taking these long strides, we then become stronger for it and better by it. And we can learn to deal with those horrible things that happened to us so long ago.

Speaking Out

Giuffre: I made the decision [to come forward] on January 7, 2010. It was the day my daughter was born. And not that my boys don’t matter, but I looked at this baby girl, and before we even named her, I just had this overwhelming [feeling]. My husband has pictures of me crying over this little girl. I just couldn’t imagine bringing her into a world where I know what happened to me, and I know what I went through. When you have this child in your arms, it then becomes your responsibility not just to protect her, but to protect others as well. When I saw her, that was the turning point. That was when I said, “We’ve got to do something. We’ve got to hold these people accountable.”

Marijke Chartouni: I haven’t talked about this in public, I don’t think. But someone close to me had a sexual assault over the summer. And that was before I had even unpacked this—what happened to me. And it just happened, the timing. That incident had just happened when I saw the headline—that Epstein had been arrested. And I was jet-lagged. But I was like, “It’s time to make that call.”

Guiffre: I’m so glad you came forward.

Chartouni: We are processing our traumas differently. Both of our traumas are very different, and it’s interesting to kind of do this on a parallel. And we’re proud of each other. You have to speak uncomfortable truths. You have to make uncomfortable truths not uncomfortable anymore.

Helm: I think people need to stop thinking that they can just do it and get away with it. That’s such a big problem. They do it because they can. Because society has enabled it. Our culture has enabled it, you know? Especially for people who have money and power. I think that’s what it boils down to.

Ransome: I have to speak here, because I’m from a very different part of the world. I’m from Europe. For me, on this side of the world, we’re not there. I feel we have come forward. I feel that victims are finally being heard. But it shouldn’t have taken since 2008 to be heard. It should have taken one girl to come forward. At the end of the day, who’s accountable?