A Year Of Seeking Justice For Survivors
The year 2021 marked a watershed moment in holding prominent individuals accountable for child sex trafficking and exploitation. Earlier this year, R. Kelly was convicted of trafficking girls and at least one boy after being acquitted on related charges years earlier. At the time of this newsletter, we are awaiting the outcome of the sex trafficking trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the onetime paramour of Jeffrey Epstein, who is accused of grooming, recruiting, procuring and sexually exploiting teenaged girls for what has been described euphemistically as “erotic services” but can more accurately be termed “child rape.”
The extravagant settings in which Epstein and - if the jury finds - Maxwell abused their victims both highlight and complicate our understanding of child sex trafficking. Most sex traffickers are not billionaires with special privileges at Harvard or chummy relationships with presidents and princes. And yet, stripping away the fancy titles, the private jets and the mansions, the tactics employed by Epstein come straight out of any street pimp’s playbook: he dazzled his victims with charm, with false affection, and with dreams of unimaginable possibilities. As one victim testified, “I think he was really strategic in how he approached each of us. Things happened slowly over time. It was almost like that analogy of a frog being in a pan of water and slowly turning the flame up.”
Because Epstein’s victims are predominantly White and blond, some advocates note they are not representative of the communities that are most vulnerable to exploitation in the United States. Beyond physical appearance, however, the Epstein victims share a great deal with other trafficking victims, including members of ECPAT-USA’s Survivors’ Council. Many came from unstable family settings, experienced poverty or had suffered from prior childhood sexual abuse. They had hopes and dreams of a better life. And, like teenagers from all backgrounds, they wanted love, attention and validation.
Pimps use these basic desires to control their adolescent victims, telling them they are beautiful and pledging to fulfill their greatest needs - whether it’s tuition for college, the big career break they’ve been looking for or, for most victims, a bed at night and a warm meal. When a child hungers for a better life, they are easy targets of a pimp’s promise.
Epstein and, should the jury agree, Maxwell share with pimps this ability to exert power over their victims. While some use violence, Epstein relied on his billions and high-placed government connections to show he was seemingly untouchable and capable of destroying others on a whim. It is these power imbalances that ECPAT-USA explores in our Youth Against Child Trafficking program, educating students on the signs of an unhealthy relationship. These students learn that it doesn't take chains and shackles to hold someone against their will.
Federal anti-trafficking laws make clear that anyone who buys, sells or benefits financially from the commercial sexual abuse of a child is a trafficker, regardless of their power or privilege. Long after these jury verdicts, ECPAT-USA and our Survivors’ Council will continue to advocate for justice. The victims have tearfully shared that Epstein and Maxwell’s years as sexual predators were facilitated by an army of assistants who, at best, turned a blind eye to their suffering and cries for help. These individuals as well as the high-profile “clients” of Epstein who patronized these children must also be held accountable.
Above all, we will not forget about the survivors themselves who often get lost in the headlines. ECPAT-USA will be continuing to advocate for legislation that provides survivors with the services they need for healing.
Wishing us a 2022 in which all children achieve their right to grow up in a world free from sexual exploitation and trafficking. Please join me in making this vision a reality by supporting our child protection programs and making a donation today.