The Victims of Jeffrey Epstein Have Made Us All Safer

To Courtney Wild, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, Michelle Licata, Sarah Ransome, Jena-Lisa Jones, Maria Farmer, Annie Farmer, Jennifer Araoz, Alicia Arden, Chauntae Davies, Teala Davies, and so many more victims, your bravery has made every human in the world safer.

Defense lawyers tried to smear you, private investigators followed you, prosecutors lied to you, and still you never gave up. You kept speaking out, telling your stories over and over to reporters who would then publish nothing. Until one did. You have seen this nation’s corrupt power structure up close and personal. You have experienced this country’s two-tiered system of injustice. Unarmed people of color can be shot and killed by law enforcement, but a rich, white man who commits horrible acts can still walk free, even when there is ample evidence to prove his crimes.

Having read about the case before, I suspected Jeffrey Epstein was re-offending — abusing more girls. It was clear he was traveling freely, and not checking in with anyone.

So complete was the justice system’s failure in this case, prosecutors were found guilty of violating the Crime Victims’ Rights Act. When Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta tried to explain his actions, it was clear that he and his former colleagues really did not want to talk about it. I challenged anti-choice activists who claimed to care about women to join in the call for Acosta’s resignation. When he stepped down, it was a huge victory.

There is one fact that remains: we are all safer, thanks to the ongoing bravery of the victims of Jeffrey Epstein.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre has launched an organization, Victims Refurse Silence, that offers many resources. https://www.victimsrefusesilence.org/