The Man Formerly Known as Prince Andrew Was Arrested: Why Many Survivors are Grateful and Grieving
The man formerly known as Prince Andrew has been arrested.
This is the first time in almost 400 years that a member of the British royal family has been arrested¹. That is an incredible precedent.
This historic moment shows that no one is above the law, not even those who historically felt untouchable. Not even royalty.
Let it be known and fully understood…this moment is the result of decades of survivor testimony, advocacy, and organizing, often at great personal risk- long before the public was ready to listen.
Most notably connected to this moment was Virginia Giuffre, who spent nearly a decade advocating for justice for herself and other survivors. In 2015, Virginia courageously shared her story in the face of Global scrutiny and public disbelief. In 2021, she filed a civil lawsuit under the New York Child Victims Act, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for child sexual abuse cases. Although “Prince Andrew" denied the allegations, the case was settled financially without a trial.
It pains my heart to know that Ms. Giuffre is not here today to witness this monumental moment.
Historically, major shifts around trafficking and exploitation have followed survivor-led courage.
The anti-trafficking movement has been built on the backs of our stories, our bravery, and our relentless advocacy.
While I am grateful for this arrest, I must still name the complexity of feelings that myself and many other survivors are experiencing in the wake of this news.
There is gratitude, but there is also grief.
I thoroughly celebrate that we are finally seeing some kind of justice connected to the Epstein files. For so many of us who have been watching and waiting, this moment matters.
It feels historic.
And.
I am also holding the complexity.
There is still outrage among survivors and advocates about how the files are being handled. Names of perpetrators remain redacted while the names of victims have been unredacted, including the names of Jane Does who specifically wished to remain anonymous. The release of their names is a violation of their privacy and in some cases, a threat to their safety.
Meanwhile, many powerful people connected to this case have still not faced criminal charges.
I can assure you, if all of the roles were reversed… if it was the children of the powerful and elite who were being trafficked and exploited by common citizens, justice would be swift indeed.
Another added layer of grief is connected to the reason for this arrest. It has reportedly been tied to alleged misconduct in public office involving confidential documents.
And while accountability is accountability, I can’t ignore the sorrow in knowing that justice moves far more swiftly when confidential documents are leaked than when survivors disclose exploitation and trafficking.
It begs the question, do we care more about protecting confidential documents than human lives?
It is widely known that as preposterous as it is, you are more likely to get arrested as a victim of trafficking than a trafficker. According to John Cotton Richmond, who served as U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons from 2018 to 2021 and has spoken publicly on this issue…
“A person is more likely to get hit by lightning than to be arrested as a trafficker.”
That tension is real.
It doesn’t take away from the celebration of this moment. I hope this is the first of many cases coming to justice.
And still, I hold out hope that we will see justice not only for the mistreatment of documents, but for human beings.
For survivors.
For those whose lives were impacted in ways that paperwork can never fully capture.
Two things can be true at once.
This is a historic win.
And the road to justice for survivors remains long and hard.
May this be the beginning, not the end, of accountability.
STAY TUNED
In the coming weeks, we will be speaking more about the Epstein Case on social media. Follow for more.
SPECIAL SURVIVOR SUPPORT GROUP
SAVE THE DATE
If you are a survivor and need a safe, trauma-informed, survivor-led space to process what is coming up for you in light of the release of the Epstein Files, We are hosting a special virtual support group:
March 4th at 7pm–8:30pm EST / 4pm–5:30pm PST
Sources:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/former-prince-andrew-is-the-first-senior-british-royal-arrested-in-nearly-400-years-heres-what-to-know