Hopeful for the truth to come out. However if this evidence is the beginning of the end for Trump, I doubt this country will ever recover from the damage this evil man has caused to the American people.
Thank you—truly. The truth always extracts a cost, but the greater cost is silence. Whatever damage this man has inflicted, the deeper wound is how many institutions helped him do it. Exposure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of accountability. And we’re long overdue.
If, and it's a big 'if', Trump ever gets the justice he deserves and dons the jumpsuit to match his tan, it will be interesting to witness the gymnastics and contortionist stunts performed by his then former acolytes as they attempt to slough off the slime they've been coated with in paying their obsequies over many years. I'm sure we'll be told they 'hardly knew the guy', and were 'not a big fan', but by their deeds shall we know them. Their compliance and complaisance make them near as guilty as he is and they should be utterly condemned.
The thing that strikes me in this wonderful piece is the use of the word "survivors."
That word puts a lot of pressure on victims to "thrive" and be "survivors." Do we loathe those who are "done to" so much that we pressure them to cease using the word "victim?" Do we fear and avoid our own weaknesses and helplessness that we must despise others who were predated upon? Can that loathing be heaped upon the aggressors, please?
I have been a victim a number of times. Once, I even became a survivor. But not for all the times I was "done to." The effect of the common usage of the word "survivor" is that I have just stopped talking to anyone about what happened because, well, a "survivor" is not able to show up and speak ebulliently. nay, triumphantly, about it all.
I understand the desire to want to put it all away and show the world how one has overcome it all and that one made lemonade from lemons, etc., but that is not always the truth.
Asking those already suffering grievous injuries to engage the world with lies and pretense seems to be siding with the predators, the aggressors—who are the only ones who benefit from the farce.
I totally agree with everything you said Terre. I was trafficked by my own family, who were involved in a national outfit. The sickest part was that the more the predator paid, the more they were allowed to do. I am not young. Decades ago, I used to say, “I know where a great number of the children on milk cartons go”.
As you so brilliantly stated:
“Do we fear and avoid our own weaknesses and helplessness that we must despise others who were predated upon? Can that loathing be heaped upon the aggressors, please?”
This whole Epstein saga is difficult for a lot of us, we know how this is going to end for all involved. It will not end with shamed, contrite and deeply remorseful predators and trafficked, prostituted women restored to social dignity with the full support of their communities. Maybe in fiction, never in real life.
If victims express pain or sadness—then they are considered damaged and/or fragile; if victims express outrage—then they are considered "unforgiving," bitter and/or are accused of hanging on to the past. If victims say nothing—they help the status quo of continuing to expect victims to carry the emotional dregs of others' sordid behaviors in a silence that keeps everyone around them at ease.
There is no public position a trafficked victim can take that is truly socially acceptable. Not one.
Most of the world does not *want* to know the scope and actual number of the predators who so easily and often inflict misery. The public most often does not want to know who they are, how often they predate, how long they have been predators and the real scope of the violations. The attitude seems to be more akin to "Oh, just give me a few lurid details of one dude that gets caught and I'll express outrage to show the world what a caring, moral person I am."
Sure, the legal system will find one or two has-beens (Cosby, Weinstein) every now and then—prosecute them and then deal with decades of their legal efforts to evade punishment.
As a culture, we are a very long away from addressing the issues of trafficking. We have not even defined, measured or assessed the problem. That has to happen before we can admit that exists. Anyone who speaks the truth about the reality and scope of trafficking will be called a liar/kook or labeled mentally ill.
That leaves a lot of victims in perpetual emotional and, often social, limbo and many more predators snickering to themselves about how they continue getting away with violating others.
We have a very long way to go on that front. But stating that we were victimized when predators violate helps a tiny bit. Solidarity, sister.
Public Opinion is Clear: Urgent Legislation Required to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation!
ECPAT and NSPCC 2023 Poll Reveals Unwavering Public Demand: 9 in 10 EU Citizens Say Legislation to End Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation is Key
Justice for sexual violence against children should have no expiration date
Hopeful for the truth to come out. However if this evidence is the beginning of the end for Trump, I doubt this country will ever recover from the damage this evil man has caused to the American people.
Thank you—truly. The truth always extracts a cost, but the greater cost is silence. Whatever damage this man has inflicted, the deeper wound is how many institutions helped him do it. Exposure isn’t the end—it’s the beginning of accountability. And we’re long overdue.
If, and it's a big 'if', Trump ever gets the justice he deserves and dons the jumpsuit to match his tan, it will be interesting to witness the gymnastics and contortionist stunts performed by his then former acolytes as they attempt to slough off the slime they've been coated with in paying their obsequies over many years. I'm sure we'll be told they 'hardly knew the guy', and were 'not a big fan', but by their deeds shall we know them. Their compliance and complaisance make them near as guilty as he is and they should be utterly condemned.
The thing that strikes me in this wonderful piece is the use of the word "survivors."
That word puts a lot of pressure on victims to "thrive" and be "survivors." Do we loathe those who are "done to" so much that we pressure them to cease using the word "victim?" Do we fear and avoid our own weaknesses and helplessness that we must despise others who were predated upon? Can that loathing be heaped upon the aggressors, please?
I have been a victim a number of times. Once, I even became a survivor. But not for all the times I was "done to." The effect of the common usage of the word "survivor" is that I have just stopped talking to anyone about what happened because, well, a "survivor" is not able to show up and speak ebulliently. nay, triumphantly, about it all.
I understand the desire to want to put it all away and show the world how one has overcome it all and that one made lemonade from lemons, etc., but that is not always the truth.
Asking those already suffering grievous injuries to engage the world with lies and pretense seems to be siding with the predators, the aggressors—who are the only ones who benefit from the farce.
I totally agree with everything you said Terre. I was trafficked by my own family, who were involved in a national outfit. The sickest part was that the more the predator paid, the more they were allowed to do. I am not young. Decades ago, I used to say, “I know where a great number of the children on milk cartons go”.
As you so brilliantly stated:
“Do we fear and avoid our own weaknesses and helplessness that we must despise others who were predated upon? Can that loathing be heaped upon the aggressors, please?”
Thank you for your bravery and courage!!!
This whole Epstein saga is difficult for a lot of us, we know how this is going to end for all involved. It will not end with shamed, contrite and deeply remorseful predators and trafficked, prostituted women restored to social dignity with the full support of their communities. Maybe in fiction, never in real life.
If victims express pain or sadness—then they are considered damaged and/or fragile; if victims express outrage—then they are considered "unforgiving," bitter and/or are accused of hanging on to the past. If victims say nothing—they help the status quo of continuing to expect victims to carry the emotional dregs of others' sordid behaviors in a silence that keeps everyone around them at ease.
There is no public position a trafficked victim can take that is truly socially acceptable. Not one.
Most of the world does not *want* to know the scope and actual number of the predators who so easily and often inflict misery. The public most often does not want to know who they are, how often they predate, how long they have been predators and the real scope of the violations. The attitude seems to be more akin to "Oh, just give me a few lurid details of one dude that gets caught and I'll express outrage to show the world what a caring, moral person I am."
Sure, the legal system will find one or two has-beens (Cosby, Weinstein) every now and then—prosecute them and then deal with decades of their legal efforts to evade punishment.
As a culture, we are a very long away from addressing the issues of trafficking. We have not even defined, measured or assessed the problem. That has to happen before we can admit that exists. Anyone who speaks the truth about the reality and scope of trafficking will be called a liar/kook or labeled mentally ill.
That leaves a lot of victims in perpetual emotional and, often social, limbo and many more predators snickering to themselves about how they continue getting away with violating others.
We have a very long way to go on that front. But stating that we were victimized when predators violate helps a tiny bit. Solidarity, sister.
Public Opinion is Clear: Urgent Legislation Required to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation!
ECPAT and NSPCC 2023 Poll Reveals Unwavering Public Demand: 9 in 10 EU Citizens Say Legislation to End Online Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation is Key
Justice for sexual violence against children should have no expiration date