Why the unsealing of the 'Epstein files' has the world on edge

A leading women’s rights advocate says the soon-to-be-released “Epstein files” could expose how global networks of wealth and influence enabled one of the world’s most notorious child sex traffickers.

Dr Lesley Ann Foster, founder and director of Masimanyane Women's Rights International, says the documents are expected to name several high-profile figures (from business leaders to politicians and royalty), who either participated in or helped conceal Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes.

Foster warns that even individuals not directly involved in abusing minors may still face scrutiny for allegedly protecting Epstein or aiding cover-ups.

However, she cautions that meaningful accountability remains unlikely.

"Jeffrey Epstein is probably the most notorious child trafficker and child abuser who actually created a space for very rich and powerful men to be able to have sex with underage children. We call them paedophiles. That word has not been used yet in this case. Partly because the girl children who fell victim to Jeffrey Epstein and his cohort of abusers are now women, and they are standing up and speaking out against what their experiences have been.

"Why this is important is because these are all acts of violence against children, and they were acts committed by very wealthy, very renowned, famous people, like the former Prince Andrew, who lost all his titles and who's no longer a royal prince because he was linked to Jeffrey Epstein. There are allegations that Donald Trump was one of the people who hung out with these young women, and it is alleged that he was involved in having underage sex with these girl children. That is a criminal offence, and it is the uncovering of that seminal offence which has got the world really paying attention to this, because it's about accountability.

"People who are rich, who are wealthy, who are famous, feel that they can exploit children; it’s criminal, and people are calling for accountability. The survivors of these acts of violence are calling for accountability in this case. It’s very important to those of us who are working to create a space where children are safe, where they are protected and where they are not exploited.

Everybody should want that for their children, hat you protect the innocence, you protect the children to just be children and not to be exploited in this way. But these men used their power, they used their money, they used their influence to exploit these children. It happens in our society on a day-to-day basis, and that lack of accountability is what perpetuates these kinds of crimes. All of us want to see an end to that, and that's why the Epstein files are so, so important to us.

"I think it's going to be very, very challenging to see all of those files and to have all of the perpetrators named and shamed and held to account because their money will protect them. Each one of them is connected to other people who were probably involved in some way or another in this whole case. So those people will use their political influence or their social and economic influence to protect the perpetrators as they are revealed."

To listen to Dr Lesley Ann Foster in conversation with 702's Clement Manyathela, click the audio below: