Not a choice

Not for the first time, today I have heard a number of comments blaming those who were groomed, trafficked and exploited by Epstein and his, still to be confirmed, associates. Most of his victims were underage, reports are now being made about young woman, above the age of consent, but it is unknown for how long they had been victims of Epstein. Among the comments were that ‘these women were getting well paid for it’. There is a difference between choosing to work in the sex industry, and being groomed, exploited and trafficked. Many of those working in the sex industry are not doing it out of choice, many of the women in this industry have been abused throughout their lives and continue to be so, many have been told, and believe, that this is their purpose in life. For many there is no way out. There are trafficked women in the sex industry throughout the world, including that in Amsterdam,(which seems to be a revelation for some).

So not only did Epstein’s victims not MAKE a choice, they did not HAVE a choice. They were targeted, they were recruited for ‘jobs’ that didn’t exist, and then made to perform sex acts with these men. They were controlled, coerced, violated, raped, silenced. They lived in fear of Epstein and his very powerful associates who had contacts everywhere, so they knew they had to comply. If they were told to be on a plane, they were on that plane, or else they or their families lives were in danger.

When a child is abused, it impacts their brain development, and their abusive experiences often mean that they are functioning at a much younger age than their actual chronological age. Sexual abuse affects every aspect of a child’s life and functioning, and the effects can last a lifetime. So before you see a young adult making a choice, look at their life experiences. Before you see a young adult ‘seducing’ a rich and powerful older man, question his motives, not hers