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Death of Jeffrey Epstein Focuses Public Attention on Home-Grown Sex Trafficking of Minors  


Author:  Roslyn K. Myers, Ph.D., J.D..


Source: Volume 20, Number 60, October/November 2019 , pp.81-90(10)




Sex Offender Law Report

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Abstract: 

The criminal case against Jeffrey Epstein, who is now deceased, implicates numerous areas of criminal justice, from pedophilia to international conspiracy, and its coverage requires more than one article. This article presents the basic outlines of the cases that named Epstein or his associates in the sex crimes for which he has become infamous. As with the concentric circles of the investigation, this first article will introduce Epstein, his inner circle, and their illegal activities, as reported by his accusers, and later coverage of the case will expand to discuss the accusations against the financier's rich and powerful clients, colleagues, and friends. Each article will frame the case details in broader terms, as part of the overall discourse on sex crimes against minors and related topics. The article introduces several key cases that depict the repetitive, ritualized method of sexual abuse used by Epstein and his co-conspirators to victimize young girls and the operations of Epstein's trafficking enterprise. It examines Epstein's behavior in the framework of diagnosable paraphilias, linking the expected conduct with the case details to highlight the grooming process developed by Epstein to gain the trust and silence of his victims. A follow-up article will expand this discussion to examine the vulnerability of certain victim cohorts that allows pedophiles and traffickers to more easily draw the victims into the web of exploitation.

Keywords: Jeffrey Epstein; Sex Trafficking; Pedophilia; Grooming

Affiliations:  1: John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

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