Marina Lacerda, a woman who has been vocal about her experiences with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, made her first public statement on Wednesday during a hearing on Capitol Hill. Her account of the abuse she endured is part of a broader effort to raise awareness about the crimes committed by Epstein and the systemic failures that allowed such acts to occur. Lacerda’s testimony has intensified the public scrutiny surrounding Epstein’s case and the legal proceedings against him.