The hype surrounding the release of the Epstein files has been described as a distraction, a conspiracy and even an act of retaliation. Much of the information about this child predator has been public for years. What has captured our attention more is the guest list, which includes names from the highest levels of society, even extending to a castle.
What continues to perplex me is the lack of outrage for the children who are victims — not only of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell but also of a global industry that exploits them sexually. U.S. society has shown indifference, except when certain cases are thrust into the spotlight, such as the ongoing scandal within the Catholic Church.
Before delving into the reasons for our collective indifference, let’s take a moment to consider the immense revenue generated by the sex industry, often referred to as the adult entertainment business. The era of simple peep shows and low-budget porn films is behind us.
With the integration of media, retail products, advertising, streaming and advanced technologies, the industry has evolved into a sophisticated and lucrative enterprise that has shed much of its stigma. This sector is an estimated $100 billion global industry with long corporate tentacles.
Well-known names like Playboy and Larry Flynt Publications are joined by less familiar companies such as MindGeek, Vivid and AVN. Companies like AT&T, Time Warner, DirecTV, Hilton, Sheraton, Visa, MasterCard and American Express get a piece of the action based on the services they provide.
Acquiring accurate data regarding the industry is extremely difficult. While it strives for omnipresence, it simultaneously prefers to operate in the shadows. It’s mainly hiding from regulation, which doesn’t seem to be a problem for the industry, nor does enforcement of the few, weak laws on the books.
There are three reasons why I think it is challenging to take on the most perverse parts of the adult entertainment industry.
For years, we have heard about men in the entertainment world, like Harvey Weinstein and Diddy, abusing their power over women in various ways. The public concludes that this is an accepted part of the business, which potential victims should already know.
This mindset leads to my second point: the shame and guilt that victims experience can be paralyzing. This is one reason why many rape victims choose not to report the incident. The stigma is internalized not only by the consumers of the industry’s products but also by those who are directly harmed by the exploitative dynamics inherent in the business. Victims are often blamed since most of the public does not grasp the concept of “grooming.”
The third explanation is related to the previous one. I think it’s hard for the general public to listen to the horrors suffered by adult victims when they were children. People only see adults. That’s why it’s been crucial for the Epstein victims to show that they were girls when first recruited by Maxwell to provide services to grown men.
I’m not suggesting that morality is solely linked to sexual matters. What I’m saying is that when a nation’s moral compass is compromised in one area, it often reflects compromises in other areas.
This country is spiraling out of control, and we seem to have forgotten what truth, fairness and justice look like. Moral corruption often precedes political corruption. This is one of the battles we face in the effort to preserve this democracy.
Jamala Rogers is an opinion writer and one of the founding members of the Organization for Black Struggle, based in St. Louis.