Congressional Democrats on Wednesday unveiled legislation they say would eliminate the statute of limitations shielding sex traffickers and enablers from civil accountability, invoking the legacy of the late financier Jeffrey Epstein and naming the bill in honor of one of his most prominent accusers.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez introduced “Virginia’s Law” alongside survivors of abuse and members of Virginia Giuffre’s family at the U.S. Capitol. The proposal would end the statute of limitations for adult victims — or their survivors — to bring civil suits, expanding legal options in cases that often take years to surface. It would also allow certain sex crimes committed outside U.S. borders to be pursued in U.S. courts when jurisdiction exists.
- Advertisement -
The bill’s path forward is uncertain in a Congress where Republicans control both chambers. Supporters framed it as a long-overdue fix meant to meet the realities of trauma and the difficulty many survivors face in coming forward under deadline pressure.
“Virginia’s dream was to inspire and empower survivors to come forward in a world that too often turns away from abuse and pushes it into the shadows. She wanted to bring light,” said Sky Roberts, Giuffre’s brother, who spoke tearfully at the news conference. Giuffre, who accused Epstein and has been a galvanizing figure for other victims, died by suicide last year, according to her family.
Asked about a widely circulated photograph showing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor with his arm around Giuffre, Roberts replied, “I think he should show up in front of our Congress. He has a lot of questions he needs to answer.”
File: Virginia Giuffre leaves federal court in New York in August 2019.
Though Epstein died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, his network of associates and the systems that failed his victims remain under scrutiny. Lawmakers have pursued oversight investigations and passed the Epstein files law to compel disclosures. The Justice Department said it has released nearly 3.5 million pages of related documents, although many are heavily redacted. Members of Congress have begun reviewing unredacted files in secure settings.
Schumer has pressed for the full public release of all remaining documents, which he said number in the millions, arguing transparency is critical for accountability. Advocates for “Virginia’s Law” say civil remedies, untethered from the clock, are equally essential to give survivors a fair chance to be heard and to deter future abuse.
In parallel with the legislative push, House investigators continue probing Epstein’s network. The House Oversight Committee recently interviewed Ghislaine Maxwell virtually in a private deposition. Maxwell — convicted in 2021 for aiding Epstein’s sexual abuse of teenage girls — refused to answer questions, according to committee members. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are scheduled to testify separately behind closed doors later this month as part of the committee’s inquiry, according to lawmakers. Their representatives have not publicly commented on the planned interviews.
Backers of the new bill say removing statutory barriers could bring a measure of justice to adults who were groomed, coerced or trafficked, many of whom confronted retaliation and stigma that suppressed their claims for years. The measure would apply broadly to adult survivors and their families, capturing many of Epstein’s alleged victims who were beyond existing deadlines.
Even if the proposal faces long odds in the Republican-led House and Senate, Democrats argued that a clear standard with no civil time limit would align the law with the realities of exploitation — where fear, power imbalances and complex trauma delay disclosure — and send a signal that accountability does not expire.
“Virginia’s Law” now heads to the relevant committees, where members will determine whether to hold hearings or advance the measure to the floor. Supporters vowed to keep pressing for votes while pushing for the continued release of files they say could surface new evidence, corroborate survivor accounts and expose systemic failures that allowed Epstein and his associates to operate for years.
By Abdiwahab Ahmed
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
