Crime & Law
Chicago Nonprofit Hosts Epstein Survivors Who Say They’re Finding Ways to Heal Through Advocacy
From left, Jena-Lisa Jones and Jess Michaels, survivors of abuse by late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, and Veronica Pierce, Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center's director of multi-disciplinary team coordination, on April 22, 2026. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
Jess Michaels and Jena-Lisa Jones, survivors of sexual abuse by the sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, said they are still far from getting justice. But they hope the increased attention on the Epstein files — and the stories of survivors — will help others stand up to abuse happening in their own communities.
“Everyone thinks it’s just about this layer of wealthy people that this is happening with,” Michaels said. “No, it’s in your own backyard, it’s in your town, it’s in your family, it’s in your schools, it’s in your sports programs.”
Michaels was the keynote speaker at the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center’s Luminary Award Dinner fundraiser on Wednesday. WTTW News spoke with Michaels and Jones ahead of the event.
Michaels says she was sexually abused by Epstein in 1991 when she was 22 years old.
For Michaels, who was also a childhood sexual abuse survivor, the experience of fighting for accountability and seeing what she described as a “cover-up” of Epstein’s sex trafficking network made her recognize: “It’s about systems that are broken.”
In the time since Michaels and Jones have come out publicly with their stories, they have used their platforms to advocate for other survivors. Jones, who was sexually abused by Epstein in 2002 when she was 14 years old, said advocating for others has become part of healing journey.
“You hold all that shame and when you start releasing it and then seeing all these people start sharing their stories because you finally said something, it’s just a beautiful healing process,” Jones said. “It’s your choice if you want to speak and tell your story or not speak, but all the same, you’re not alone.”
The isolation and silence are what perpetuates abuse, Michaels said.
Michaels gives credit to Me Too movement founder Tarana Burke for creating the space for survivors to share their stories, be in solidarity with one another and fight for change.
“Do I think all the men in the Epstein files are going to be arrested? No.” Michaels said. “Do I think the American people now are recognizing that it’s bigger than that and this has become unsustainable? Yes, and I believe that will be accountability and justice.”
Epstein died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Chicago Children's Advocacy Center is located at 1240 S. Damen Ave. Chicago, IL 60608. (Eunice Alpasan / WTTW News)
Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center opened in 2001 and aims to support survivors of childhood domestic and sexual violence. The nonprofit serves as a frontline responder to reports of abuse, working in partnership with child protection staff, law enforcement, family advocates and medical and mental health clinicians.
Every year, the organization responds to about 2,000 reports of child sexual abuse, witness to violence, risk of harm, physical abuse and human trafficking, according to annual reports.
Veronica Pierce, director of multi-disciplinary team coordination at the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center, said she is honored to work with children brave enough to tell their stories.
Pierce described the cycle of abuse, and how children can grow up to become traumatized, unhealed adults, leading to more traumatized people.
It’s not just about the abuse investigations, but the healing that takes place, especially when survivors often have little control over the legal system and outcomes, according to Pierce.
“Being able to have access to mental health services, where they can really start that journey learning about themselves and learning about their bodies, what’s healthy and what’s unhealthy, and how they can use their own voice to advocate for themselves,” Pierce said.
Jones and Michaels said they wish they had access to those kinds of resources growing up and hope to redirect the attention that Epstein has received to the people and places helping survivors.
“It is so important to have these places for children to go and have someone advocating and being in their corner because when you’re going through that as a child, you feel so alone in all of this,” Jones said.
If you suspect or know that a child is being abused, call the Illinois child abuse hotline at 1-800-25-ABUSE (1-800-252-2873). If you're a survivor of sexual violence, call the Chicago rape crisis hotline at 888-293-2080 to receive support, crisis intervention and referrals in Chicago and surrounding suburbs.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
