Survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have spoken about the abuse they suffered at the hands of the deceased financier and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell as the US Congress nears a possible vote on releasing more files on the investigation.
The leadership of the Republican-controlled US House is under pressure from Democrats and some Republicans to bring a vote on a new bill that would see further documents released.
Such a move would likely anger US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly tried to dismiss the Epstein political firestorm.
Speaking on the steps of the US Congress on Wednesday morning, local time, a number of survivors called for the Epstein Files Transparency Act to be passed.
Among them was Marina Lacerda, one of the first women to come forward with allegations against Epstein, who spoke for the first time about what happened to her.
"I was only 14 years old when I met Jeffrey," she said.
"It was the summer of high school, I was working three jobs to try and support my mum and my sister when a friend of mine in the neighbourhood told me I could make $300 to give an older guy a massage.
"It went from a dream job to a nightmare."
Files release will 'deter future harm', victim says
Ms Lacerda then outlined the impact her abuse had on her, including dropping out of school in Year 9 before being told, at the age of 17, that she was too old to continue working for Epstein.
She said documents which remained unreleased included details of her abuse that even she had not read.
"The government is still in possession right now of the documents and the information that could help me remember and get over all of this maybe, and help me heal," she said.
"It is so hard to begin to heal knowing that there are people out there who know more about my abuse than I do."
Another victim, Anouska De Georgiou, said she felt obliged to come forward to speak for those "who could not continue", including Australian woman Virginia Guiffre, who took her own life earlier this year.
"Every day of this journey towards healing has come at a profound cost to my mental health, but I am here, I chose to come, because this bill really matters," she said.
"Consequences are not about punishment alone, they exist to deter future harm, to protect vulnerable, and to set a standard of justice."
Bradley Edwards, who is an attorney representing victims of Epstein, said the American people deserved to see many of the documents yet to be released.
"Unfortunately, all of the documents and evidence we have worked so hard to gather hide behind protective orders, confidentiality agreements and bank secrecy laws," he said.
"While we have seen the documents, you haven’t. And when you see the documents you are going to be appalled."
Trump labels press conference 'Democrat hoax'
It is still unclear whether there is enough support within the US House of Representatives to see the bill brought to a vote.
The House is currently controlled narrowly by Republicans.
On Monday, the US Oversight Committee released over 33,000 pages of documents related to the Epstein case, including from the US Department of Justice.
But efforts from members of both major US parties to get further documents released are continuing.
Mr Trump has been under political pressure from even some of his most ardent supporters to sanction the release of further case files, but has so far resisted.
Among those who attended the victims' press conference was right-wing Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene, who vowed to read the names of Epstein's accomplices in congress.
At a near-simultaneous press conference in Washington DC, Mr Trump appeared dismissive of efforts to see more documents released, referring to the efforts as being part of a "Democrat hoax".
Asked about those comments, Ms Lacerda vowed that Epstein's victims would not be silenced.
"This is not a hoax. Like, it's not going to go away."
