In a deeply personal and powerful interview aired on Democracy Now! on July 18, 2025, Jeffrey Epstein survivor and national advocate Teresa Helm delivered a resounding call for full public disclosure of federal case files related to Epstein’s decades-long sex trafficking operation.
Her emotional testimony comes amid growing national pressure on the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI to release records detailing the late financier’s ties to powerful political, financial, and social elites.
Helm, who now serves as the Survivor Services Coordinator at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), recounted how she was lured into Epstein’s inner circle through a job opportunity falsely advertised by Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.
Helm was 22 at the time, a college student and aspiring massage therapist, when she accepted what she believed was a legitimate interview opportunity.
“I didn’t walk myself into tragedy—I was lured there, coerced under false pretenses,” Helm told Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman.
Helm described being first introduced to Maxwell through Epstein’s assistant Sarah Kellen, who promised her travel opportunities and a high-profile career.
During what she believed to be a job interview in Manhattan, Helm says she was sexually assaulted by Epstein. Maxwell, who has since been convicted and sentenced for her role in Epstein’s trafficking network, “knew exactly what she was doing,” Helm stated, calling her a “master manipulator.”
A Call for Accountability
Helm’s interview aired just days after the FBI and DOJ declared that no further Epstein “client list” exists and that the federal case was now considered closed, despite acknowledging that Epstein harmed over 1,000 victims over two decades, a far greater number than previously reported.
Helm called the government’s sudden decision to halt further document releases an “ongoing cover-up” and “exhausting” for survivors seeking truth and closure.
“This is not about political score-settling. It’s about healing and justice,” she said. “We must end the culture of impunity that has protected the rich and powerful.”
Helm also addressed recent polling showing that nearly two-thirds of Republican voters now believe the Trump administration is hiding details about the Epstein investigation.
President Donald Trump, who previously pledged transparency on Epstein’s case files during his 2024 campaign, has since reversed course, prompting backlash across party lines.
Mourning a Fellow Survivor: Virginia Giuffre
The interview took a somber turn with the acknowledgment of Virginia Giuffre’s death by suicide in April 2025. Giuffre, perhaps the most high-profile Epstein survivor, was known for her lawsuits against Epstein, Maxwell, and Prince Andrew.
Helm described Giuffre as a “fierce warrior” and “inspiration” for other survivors:
“Her courage in coming forward changed lives. Her death reminds us of the emotional toll this takes—even years later.”
National and Legal Implications
Helm’s interview adds a human face to the ongoing legal and political controversy surrounding the Epstein files. While some documents were released under what federal officials called the “first phase of declassification,” critics argue that these materials were largely redundant and withheld key names and evidence.
Legal experts and transparency advocates are now demanding legislative action. Congressman Ro Khanna has introduced a bill mandating full disclosure of Epstein’s case records, citing public interest and government accountability.
“Justice must not only be done but be seen to be done,” said a legal scholar unaffiliated with the case. “This is not merely a criminal matter. It is a constitutional question about who gets protected under law—and who does not.”
A Survivor’s Mission
Helm’s advocacy is both personal and professional. At NCOSE, she works daily with survivors of sexual exploitation, helping them access trauma recovery resources, legal support, and community care.
“We need to be focused not on preserving power structures, but on preserving the dignity and healing of survivors,” she said.
As legal pressure mounts and public scrutiny intensifies, Helm’s voice joins a chorus of survivors demanding answers, transparency, and, most of all, justice.
Editor’s Note:
If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault or trafficking and needs support, resources are available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE) and the National Center on Sexual Exploitation at endsexualexploitation.org.
