(BP) Listening to the victims tell their stories is very emotional and moving, what steps did you do to build that relationship with each of the victims to make them feel comfortable enough to open up? 

(RS) We spoke to many of the survivors and their lawyers on the phone and via Zoom before they agreed to be interviewed. Through those conversations, we learned what their concerns were and what they were hoping they would achieve by being interviewed for the series. For many of the women they wanted an opportunity to share their full stories without focusing on the nature of the abuse. It was important to them that they could share their stories in a way to help other people who have suffered sexual abuse and to possibly prevent others from falling prey to some of the grooming techniques employed by Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.

(AS) For a series like this, as Ricki points out, there’s a significant amount of time invested before cameras are ever introduced.  There are rounds of requests, phone calls, conversations that need to happen/. Working first with the women’s lawyers we were very clear regarding our intent with this series, which I believe helped to gain both the lawyers' and the survivors’ trust.  We had seen the immediate coverage in the wake of Epstein’s death (in August 2019).  The focus was primarily on Jeffery Epstein, who he was and what his circles were, while the survivors’ experiences were grouped together and the women were often presented as a chorus.  It was our goal to give these women voice as individuals, and each woman’s experience in this series adds to the larger understanding of Epstein’s methods of manipulation and abuse.

(BP) Epstein was found dead in his cell in August last year. I remember reading the news and feeling angered by his somewhat escape from the trauma he’d caused to his victims. What was it like learning this news whilst working on the project and what effects did it have on the series?

(RS) It was shocking to learn that JE, who had previously attempted to take his life, was able to succeed at a second attempt. In some ways it made the series more urgent because it was an opportunity for women to make their stories public. It was an opportunity that they would not get in the court of law.

(AS) I agree with Ricki in that Epstein’s death gave this series urgency. And as far as impact on the series, it certainly freed us up to focus more fully on the women survivors.  Epstein’s death was the end of this story.  Now it’s about the women, what is owed to each of them, and what can be done to support others have and are being abused.  

There have been many theories about Epstein’s psychology and how he died, but one of the conversations we had during the research stages of the series still resonates; someone involved with the initial Palm Beach investigation into Epstein felt strongly that he likely paid off people to help him commit suicide. That he wasn’t brave enough to make it through what the rest of his life held out for him.  It’s an outrage that he really did get away with everything he did - there was no responsibility, no remorse - when the women we came to know are each grappling and struggling with the fall out from his abuse.