The Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) is proud to endorse the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act, which will provide compensation to survivors whose rights were violated by the federal government, including survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. We stood alongside survivors, representatives, and partner organizations at the Capitol for the bill’s introduction.
Introduced by Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley in the House of Representatives, this bill establishes the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Program, a restitution fund providing financial compensation to victims of sexual abuse, trafficking, or exploitation whose rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act were violated by the federal government.
The federal government has repeatedly failed to protect survivors of sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation for decades. The ongoing egregious treatment of the Epstein survivors is a prime example of this. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Justice (DOJ) ignored credible tips and refused to act on abuse claims as early as 1996, allowing abuse to continue for over 20 years. While releasing the Epstein files, the DOJ neglected to redact survivors’ identifying information, leading to harassment and revictimization. Survivors have not received accountability from the government for infringing on their rights and failing to prevent decades of abuse.
The Survivors’ Rights Restitution Program will compensate survivors, at a minimum award of $123,000, to cover both economic and non-economic losses as a result of their survivor rights being infringed upon. The bill requires cases to be handled by professionals with expertise in trauma-informed care and victim services. Cases must be handled in a way that protects survivors’ privacy, redacting sensitive information and preventing retraumatization. Additionally, survivors’ legal fees may be covered as part of the program.
“Our government has repeatedly failed survivors. There is no better example than the US government’s egregious treatment of Epstein survivors. These women have bravely told their stories. Again and again, exposing their pain in an effort to get justice. Again and again, our government has failed to deliver anything other than continued pain, inaction, and callousness. The introduction of the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act is a beacon of hope. This vital bill will bring avenues of restitution for Epstein’s victims and all survivors of sexual violence who have been wronged by our government,” said Omny Miranda Martone, Founder and CEO of the SVPA.
Holding the government accountable for infringing on survivors’ rights will help prevent sexual violence in the future. The FBI and the DOJ could have prevented decades of child abuse, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking. They must be held accountable for failing to do so. This bill is the first step toward meaningful action to reconcile the harm caused and prevent future abuse.
“I feel deeply privileged to live in a country that has robust victims’ rights. These protections are afforded to so few across the globe. That said, rights are meaningless if they aren’t enforced. Our government must protect victims’ rights- not violate them. As a country, we can continue to champion victims’ protections by passing the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act,” Martone said.
Endorsing the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act is the latest in the SVPA’s fight for . We’ve stood alongside Epstein survivors at press conferences, vigils, and hearings, calling for transparency and justice. We’ve joined lawmakers and victims of sexual violence demanding government accountability, congressional action, and survivor protections.
We were proud to stand alongside survivors, representatives, and partner organizations at the Capitol in support of this vital bill. Together, we urge Congress to pass the Survivors’ Rights Restitution Act of 2026.
