Since the US Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of documents related to the late and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, many survivors are now coming forward to share what they went through. One such survivor is Rina Oh, who opened up about the time Epstein abused her. Oh, while sharing her ordeal with NDTV, said she was afraid that if she ever spoke out, she knew he might hurt her.
Oh further elaborated, “He also knew where I lived, where my parents lived. And I have evidence that I was probably followed by people. I think he did that with a lot of other girls as well.”
Survivor recalls Epstein’s horror
The survivor also revealed how Epstein manipulated and abused her for years before she ended it for good. The survivor, who was 21 at the time of the abuse, said the wealthy financier criticized and insulted her body, causing her “psychological harm”. She added that after saying great things about me for a while, he devalued me by criticizing my body and telling me what to do with it. On another occasion, she recalled Epstein calling her old when she was 21, even though he was 47.
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Narrating her ordeal, she added that because she was sexually abused as a child and turned into a quiet person, Epstein saw this and took advantage of it.
Oh, recalling one moment, she said there was a moment when she knew things were absolutely dark, adding that during a trip to Florida, Epstein told her something that was probably “one of his darkest secrets.” However, when Oh shared this with another woman accompanying them on the trip, she informed Epstein, who then threatened Oh and also told her that he had information about her to harm her.
Recalling the last time Oh saw Epstein, she described him as “very violent” and added that she never returned and stopped answering phone calls after that.
Former Prince Andrew’s arrest
Commenting on the former Prince Andrew’s arrest, Oh hailed it as a “stepping stone”. However, she argued that the US government is not doing enough in the case.
On Thursday (local time), Thames Police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after recently released Epstein files revealed how he shared confidential information with Epstein when he was a trade envoy. Andrew was released later.
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The case of Jeffrey Epstein
Jeffrey Epstein, the once-wealthy financier who died in 2019, continues to make headlines for a trove of documents, including photos, videos and emails that highlight his years of sexual abuse. The case against Epstein stemmed from a complaint filed in 2006 by the parents of a 14-year-old girl who alleged that Epstein molested her at his residence in Florida.
While Epstein denied the allegations, he was followed by many survivors who said they were also abused. In 2008, Epstein was arrested and sent to prison for a short period of 13 months. He was arrested in 2019 and was found dead in his cell in August of that year, allegedly by suicide.
While Epstein died, the documents revealed the names of several high-profile figures, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and others. Survivors are still seeking justice.
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In a message to other survivors, Oh said they were “not alone” and added that they must “stay strong.”
“I want them to know that the world cares about them and they need to stay strong. Don’t be intimidated by the government, by the Justice Department. I know a lot of them are scared right now because their names have been revealed. They’ve been anonymous for so many years. They need to be persistent. And we will. We will get full transparency,” she added.