Brazilian Marina Lacerda revealed, in an interview with the American station ABC Newsthis Wednesday (3), which was one of the minors sexually abused by financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Prior to the interview, at a press conference in front of the US Congress, Lacerda identified himself as the “minor victim one” of the federal process opened against the pedophile in New York in 2019.
“I never thought I would find myself here. The only reason I am here is because it seems that the people who matter in this country finally care about what we have to say,” he said at the press conference.
In the interview with ABCthe Brazilian reported that Epstein’s abuses began when she was only 14, after being taken to the businessman’s mansion in Manhattan under the promise of receiving money to do only massages.
“I had to work, I had to bring money home,” said Marina, who at the time reconciled three jobs to help support her mother and sister. According to her, a neighborhood friend offered the opportunity to earn $ 300 per massage session, but the situation quickly turned into sexual violence.
“Don’t worry, he’s really cool,” said his friend, according to Lacerda. “You have nothing to worry about, let’s go up, do a massage, it will give us US $ 300 each and let’s leave here,” she reported about the conversation.
“He forced me to have sex with him […] I really didn’t have a choice, ”said the Brazilian.
Lacerda said she continued to meet Epstein even after her first abuse because she felt controlled by him. He reported, this situation was the result of a combination of factors: extreme financial difficulties, the belief that he had no other choice, the hope of achieving a better life and the psychological influence exerted by the pedophile.
Lacerda said that at first Epstein two to three times a week and has received nearly $ 900,000 over time. Nevertheless, he described the interactions with the financier as traumatic and without consent. According to her, Epstein was “very selfish” and “knew exactly how to possess you.”
The Brazilian stressed that, as an immigrant, he feels that his speech now is important in the United States.
“As an immigrant in Brazil, I feel empowered knowing that the little girl who struggled to survive at 14 and 15 finally has a voice. For the first time, I feel like importing as Americana,” he said.
The decision to speak publicly about the case came after participating in group therapy sessions with other Epstein surviving victims.
“These women are so strong, their voices are strong, their voices are high. I think it is important that all women who have been abused, raped or suffered any kind of abuse manifest. And I think maybe, if I talk, some of the girls I know will also talk, because there are many of us,” he said.
Marina also recalled that the history of abuse in her life began before Epstein. At age 9, shortly after arriving in New York with his family, he was molested by his stepfather.
“Two or three months later [de chegar em solo americano]I began to be sexually abused by my stepfather, ”he said. She and another stepfather victim came to the police, but did not have their cases properly investigated. The stepfather was later arrested.
Epstein, accused of abusing more than 250 minors and commanding a sexual exploitation network, was found dead in his cell in 2019. In July, the United States Department and the FBI completed a review of the case and reiterated that he died for suicide, and reinforced that there is no alleged “customer list” attributed to the financiers in debates in the networks for years in the networks for years in the networks for years in networks social.
Marina said that the hardest today has been dealing with the past.
“Process all this [foi a parte mais difícil]because I feel it could have been stopped in 2008 and I didn’t know I had this power to stop, ”he said.
