Recently, a New York judge released an expansive list of names tied to the infamous scandal of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislane Maxwell. The document includes those who were aware of, committed, and were victimized by crimes related to the notorious duo. To jog your memory, Epstein sexually violated and exploited a vast network of countless teenage girls, some of them as young as 14 years old, for himself and his wealthy clients, according to prosecutors. In June, JPMorgan Chase reached a $290 million settlement with victims of Epstein over allegations that the bank overlooked the financier’s sex trafficking and abuse because it wanted to profit from a banking relationship with him. So naturally, we may think the saga of this disgusting duo is finally coming to a close. Alas, we’d be quite wrong.

While it’s true that most of the legal actions against Epstein and Maxwell have been resolved through criminal pleas or trials, and some through civil settlements, there’s something essential missing. Something profoundly human rather than strictly legal—apologies, explanations, and amends. In other words, while disclosure is good, it is far from sufficient. Let’s dive into what really needs to happen.

Apologies

We at Horowitz Law aren’t particularly inclined to apreciate apologies given by those who commit or hide crimes only after they’ve had their backs against the wall and have been exposed.

However, we acknowledge that some survivors find solace in such meek admissions. For them and the sake of transparency, these apologies should be forthcoming, public, and devoid of all excuses.

Explanations

We live in an age where authenticity and transparency are valued, especially when it involves crimes against humanity. Victims and the public deserve to understand why seemingly intelligent, responsible, and influential adults were drawn into Epstein and Maxwell’s orbit, especially after allegations of abuse against them were widely publicized. These individuals need to stop biding their time, hoping the public’s memory will falter. An upfront explanation or disclosure is the only path to addressing this scandal. These wrongdoers should not stay silent and ‘just wait till all of this blows over.

Amends

Now it’s time for action. Not just sweet words of regret or a flimsy promise of ‘never again.’ It’s time for tangible action and demonstrable change.

Nearly every creed, religion, and moral code encourages atonement to heal the wounds inflicted by wrongdoers. There’s an urgent need for everyone—those who ignored, concealed, or abetted abuses by Epstein and Maxwell—to take concrete steps toward redress. These named individuals must DO SOMETHING now to tangibly show genuine remorse, to bring a tiny sliver of relief and validation to their victims, and to decrease the chances that others will be similarly irresponsible in similar situations in the future. These steps could include making public any records regarding Epstein or Maxwell’s behavior and making substantial donations to accredited organizations committed to preventing abuse and aiding survivors.

The Bigger Picture

In terms of the broader implications, this disclosure serves as a stoic warning for anyone inclined to ignore or conceal child sex crimes. It also provides encouragement and reassurance to anyone who has experienced such atrocities to promptly tell the police, prosecutors, therapists, support groups, or loved ones so they don’t have to suffer in silence or carry feelings of self-blame.

What should not escape our notice, either, is that the laundry list brims with known names from the world of politics, royalty, and entertainment. From Donald Trump to Bill Clinton, from Britain’s Prince Andrew to the ex-Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak, the list is as notorious as it is long.

“The list of names could include Epstein’s accused co-conspirators as well as a wide range of people listed in the lawsuit,” reports MSNBC News. Giuffre has told CBS News that (Epstein and Maxwell) had access to very well-known people, including “government officials, politicians and royalty.” Some of those accused of crimes, misconduct, hurtful silence, or dreadfully inappropriate and hurtful conduct include Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, ex-Governor Bill Richardson, former US Senator George Mitchell, Britain’s Prince Andrew, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, actor Kevin Spacey and CEO Les Wexner.

Some of these 170 names have publicly surfaced before. Others may be disclosed for the first time. In our view, any and all of the disclosures will lead to prevention and healing. But even if only one more wrongdoer is exposed for the first time, kids will still be safer; some victims will feel relief and validation, and some abuse cover-ups will almost certainly be deterred.

Transparency is Crucial

While the victims’ courage in sharing their stories deserves praise, we must equally respect those who have chosen the path of anonymity. Each victim’s journey and healing process is unique, and their decision to maintain personal privacy while seeking justice is admirable.

What needs to be done is clear–all the enablers and those individuals who played even a minor role in hiding these atrocities must be publicized. The systemic nature of Epstein and Maxwell’s crime was only possible because of such enablers’ complicity.

Reporting Can Protect the Vulnerable

Every person who was exploited as a child should take heart in this development and consider stepping forward. Reporting these atrocities would contribute to a safer society and open the door for further healing. Witnesses and whistleblowers, too, should feel obligated to help law enforcement. A concerted effort focusing on the safety of the vulnerable and the safeguarding of rights would result in remarkable change.

Not only would we see an end to the horrific crimes, but also the reticence to report them.

We at Horowitz Law applaud every one of the dozens of brave Epstein victims who have disclosed their identities and shared their pain publicly, especially Virginia Giuffre, Jennifer Araoz, Sarah Ransome, Maria Farmer, Teresa Helm, Annie Farmer, Maria Farmer, Juliette Bryant, and others. At the same time, however, there’s no ‘one size fits all’ here. Every abuse victim is different and heals in different ways. We admire just as much those survivors who have opted to protect their own privacy. By doing so, they remind other victims that they, too, can take legal action against predators and enablers while maintaining their anonymity.

The devastation caused by Epstein and Maxwell was systemic. It was widespread only because a number of adults who knew better collaborated and cooperated with these criminals, overtly and covertly. That’s why anyone who played any role in the committing or concealing of this horror needs to be publicly exposed, at a bare minimum. We trust that the judge has protected and that the news media will respect the privacy of any Epstein victim whose name may appear in the documents. We also hope that the judge has looked long and hard at requests by any of Epstein’s associates who requested continued anonymity and has granted very few such requests.

Every person who was raped, molested, or exploited as a teenager or child should feel heartened by this development and should seriously consider stepping forward now and reporting the crimes so that youngsters can be better protected, deeply hidden truths can be exposed, and further healing can happen. Every witness or whistleblower should also call law enforcement. This one step – adults who see or suspect child sexual abuse calling law enforcement and other responsible parties – will go a long way toward making our society safer for the most vulnerable.

So, what could we expect from the unsealing of the names linked to Epstein? We expect apologies that demonstrate genuine remorse, clear explanations to rectify a blurry past, and tangible amends to start the healing process. And to quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, “The moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” With the judge’s recent decision, we are seeing the bend toward justice, and this should, and hopefully will, lead to healing and prevention. So, while the legal battles might be wrapping up, the societal and personal battles are just beginning, leading the course of justice and healing from the Epstein saga in a promising direction.