Epstein’s victims are forgotten amid political frenzy over files

There is a glaring omission in the wall-to-wall coverage of the Jeffrey Epstein case. Even as new headlines roar with fresh allegations, the facts of the crimes and the trauma inflicted on the innocent children continue to fall to the wayside.

The current focus on the rich and powerful and the political backstory surrounding fights over lists, transcripts, and depositions does little if anything for the still-young women who were trapped in Epstein’s depravity. Accountability and transparency are what will support them.

One thing is not in dispute: What happened to those children was no hoax. Those horrific crimes were the result of years of grooming and entrapment of young teenage girls. These crimes sadly happen at an alarming rate, often right under our noses.

Why? One major reason is that society fails to talk about them openly and honestly, leaving the public with the perception that it is a “them” rather than a “we” issue.

The victims of Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell have been pushed from the spotlight. Headlines about the nation’s most notorious case of child abuse and sex trafficking are no longer about the victims, but sound like a promotion for a bizarre remake of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

Uncomfortable? Now put yourself in the victims’ shoes.

Forgetting about the abuse these young women and girls endured is a tragedy. Here is a glimpse into their reality:

Virginia Giuffre was 17 when Maxwell recruited her from Mar-a-Lago for a job as Epstein’s masseuse. They groomed and lured her into years of sexual abuse by trafficking her internationally. Sadly, she took her own life earlier this year. Her friends and family are robbed of sharing her life.

Maria Farmer was an aspiring artist who met Epstein and Maxwell during her studies. Under the pretext of supporting her career, they sexually abused her while security prevented her from leaving. Her pleas to authorities were ignored, allowing the abuse to continue for years. This is trauma she will never escape.

Farmer’s sister, Annie, also became a victim of Epstein and Maxwell’s perversion. At 16, she was lured to their New Mexico ranch under the false pretense of a trip for high-achieving students. Epstein and Maxwell forced themselves on her.

Sarah Ransome, 22, was pursuing a fashion career when Maxwell offered her mentorship. Instead, she was lured into Epstein’s circle, sexually abused, and trafficked to wealthy international rapists on “Epstein Island,” a captivity she couldn’t escape, even by trying to swim away.

Courtney Wild was just 14 when a friend convinced her to go to Palm Beach, Fla., for a job giving massages to Epstein. “Massage” as a code word for abuse and rape. Not once, but hundreds of times. Epstein made her recruit other girls in an operation that ensnared children in cycles of abuse and coercion.

Uncomfortable? Now put yourself in the victims’ shoes.

An estimated 48,000 U.S. minors are trafficked into sexual abuse annually, leaving nearly 60 million adult survivors of child sexual abuse. That’s about one out of every five Americans. With society unwilling to even talk about their reality, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that less than 30% of sex crimes are even reported.

Epstein’s name might be the most famous, but there are thousands more like him who count on silence, confusion, and distraction. Those creatures have something else in common: They continue to hunt for prey and inflict horrible abuse on the next victim.

Lack of accountability is a blueprint for “Epstein Islands” popping up in every community. Shying away from the uncomfortable details doesn’t soften the crime. Secrets don’t help victims heal. Epstein and Maxwell kept secrets, and other abusers hope you do, too.

Victims of sexual abuse are forced to keep secrets. Keeping documents sealed under the pretext of protecting victims is the real hoax.

If you’re serious about wanting to prevent these crimes from happening again, release all the Epstein files.

Paul DelPonte is executive director and CEO of the National Crime Prevention Council. Aaron Hanson has served as the sheriff of Douglas County, Neb., since 2023, and has nearly 30 years of law enforcement experience.