The Epstein Files remains a top story. Who is in it? What, exactly, is being named in it? Every day seems like something new is uncovered. But the one thing that remains constant is this: There are public survivors of the sex trafficking scandal, and they will not stay quiet.
On Super Bowl Sunday, the Epstein survivors released an ad stating that they will not “move on” from the scandal. The ad itself serves as a message to stand with and believe survivors. There are some, however, who do not see it as such. Matt Walsh, for example, took to X to call it a “publicity campaign,” further saying, “These women could also just name their abusers at any time.”
Victim-blaming rape survivors–underage ones, no less–is deplorable. Men come from such a place of privilege that they will never know what it is like to be afraid all the time, to worry about being taken advantage of and not being able to stop it. Walsh never has good takes, but this one is genuinely abhorrent.
There is a reason names are not being said
Personally, if I was involved in the biggest sex trafficking scandal of our time, I too would never shut up about it. Because the moment that you do, they will rush in to try to further bury it. As for naming your abusers, well. The people who were invited to Epstein’s island were not just your local bartender or mechanic.
These women have already faced substantial risk by coming out publicly. There is also the very real possibility that they simply don’t know. The most powerful aren’t always the most recognizable. And we can’t forget that, should they name somebody, they could have an “accident” and “pass away.”
Contrary to what those like Walsh believe, the ad itself did not actually air during the Super Bowl. It was, instead, released during a time when the focus is on commercials and ads, capitalizing on the likelihood that it would be watched.
Not all are swayed by Walsh’s statement, though.
“You’re using three classic moves her,” said a user on X. “1.collapsing legal accountability into ‘why didn’t they tweet names,’ 2.weaponizing timing to imply bad faith, and 3.redefining public pressure as ‘not really silenced.’ That’s rhetoric, not analysis. Do better.”
We all want to know who exactly is in the Epstein files. That is not even a question here. But the people, these child predators and sexual assaulters, are powerful. Right now, all the survivors can do is keep reminding us that they’re real, and it happened. Until something can change, we have to believe them. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.
(Featured image: Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images)
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