The Epstein Dossiers: Rights experts demand accountability, call for investigation into human trafficking allegations
The Council for Human Rights-appointed experts also issued a general warning about the “ongoing violence of patriarchal systems of power” revealed in the files, which the US Department of Justice began releasing late last year.
The vast collection of documents, photographs, flight logs and other items related to investigations into the activities of the late New York-based financier and child molester Jeffrey Epstein have been the subject of significant legal and political debate in Washington DC and beyond in recent months.
Transparent research call
“We are deeply concerned about the credible allegations in the ‘Epstein Dossiers’ of systematic trafficking of young women and girls for purposes of sexual exploitation and call for a full and transparent investigation”, the two experts said in a statement.
The allegations involve senior politicians, public figures, diplomats, global business leaders and leading academics, and detail the widespread trafficking of girls and young women across multiple international borders over decades.
The situation highlights the deep-rooted discrimination and violence of patriarchal power systems and the associated failure of accountability, said Siobhán Mullally. Special Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, especially women and childrenand the five members of the Working group about discrimination against women and girls.
The experts emphasized that the The trafficking of children and young women is a serious criminal offense and a serious violation of human rightsand they expressed deep concern about the “completely inadequate” response from national governments and law enforcement authorities.
Culture of impunity
“The failure to ensure accountability perpetuates a culture of impunity that disproportionately harms women and girls and undermines the promise of equal protection under international human rights law,” the independent experts statement said.
Furthermore, child trafficking for sexual exploitation destroys childhood and has devastating long-term consequences for victims.
They reminded governments of their obligation to prevent human trafficking, protect victims and ensure access to justice and effective remedies, including compensation.
Support for victims
“Victims and survivors must be at the center of effective, trauma-informed and gender-sensitive responses to human trafficking“, the statement said.
“They must guarantee medical care, including reproductive and sexual health care, psychosocial support and long-term social inclusion and recovery measures.”
Action ‘long ago’
With global attention on the case waning, the experts called for concrete action, accountability and urgent measures to guarantee access to justice, as well as reparations, guarantees against recurrence and transparency.
“States have an obligation to act, and that obligation is long overdue” they said.
All independently appointed experts receive their mandate from the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. They are not UN staff and do not receive payment for their work.
