‘These survivors are not political tools for you to use,’ says Virginia Giuffre’s brother
The Fight to Honor Virginia Giuffre’s Legacy and Hold Epstein’s Network Accountable
Sky Roberts stood before lawmakers today with a steadiness that belied the weight of his grief. His sister, Virginia Giuffre — one of the most outspoken survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking ring — died by suicide in April. Her death sent shockwaves through a nation already grappling with the failures of a justice system that allowed Epstein and his network to operate in the shadows for decades. Now, as Congress claims to “investigate” what went wrong, her brother delivered a message that cut through the political pageantry.
“My sister is not a political tool for you to use,” Roberts said, his voice cracking but forceful. “These survivors are not political tools for you to use. These are real stories, real trauma. We will not let Virginia’s fight be in vain — together. We will not let the predators win — together.”
His words landed like a warning: the era of exploiting survivors’ pain for political gain must end. And with new hearings underway, there is growing concern that the institutions responsible for decades of neglect are once again attempting to shift blame rather than confront it.
A Legacy Built on Courage, Not Headlines
For years, Virginia Giuffre forced some of the most powerful men in the world into the light. Her allegations were met with relentless backlash, gaslighting, lawsuits, and smear campaigns. Yet she persisted, knowing her testimony was one of the few weapons survivors had against a system designed to protect the wealthy and well-connected.
Giuffre’s fight helped reopen cases authorities had long buried. Her storytelling gave other women the courage to speak. Her willingness to name names turned her into a global symbol of resistance against elite exploitation. And she did it all while carrying the trauma of what was done to her as a child — trauma the world demanded she retell again and again.
Her death did not silence her. If anything, it has turned a national spotlight back toward the institutions that failed her. But with that spotlight comes opportunism — lawmakers eager to attach themselves to the Epstein scandal for attention, clicks, and political leverage.
Roberts’s plea was a reminder of humanity amid the noise. His sister was not a headline, nor a partisan soundbite. She was a woman who fought harder than anyone had a right to, and the country owes her more than political theater.
A Broken System That Protected Power Over People
As investigations resume, one of the clearest throughlines is how thoroughly the justice system protected Epstein and his circle. From the 2008 sweetheart deal that gave him a private jail cell and weekend privileges, to the years of looking the other way as reports mounted, the institutions tasked with protecting the vulnerable instead insulated the powerful.
Epstein did not operate alone. He had fixers, gatekeepers, co-conspirators, and beneficiaries — a network of individuals who helped him recruit, transport, and exploit girls. Many of those individuals remain unnamed publicly, shielded by sealed court records and legal maneuvers designed to bury evidence rather than reveal it.
For survivors watching these hearings, the fear is not subtle: that Congress will turn the scandal into a political weapon instead of a moral reckoning. Multiple lawmakers have already used Giuffre’s name as a cudgel against rivals, invoking her trauma only when it benefits their side.
This is precisely what her brother condemned.
“What my sister went through is not ammunition for your political battles,” Roberts said. “If you’re serious, then prove it by passing real laws that stop this from ever happening again. Stop protecting predators. Stop protecting institutions that covered it up.”
His frustration mirrors what many survivors have long said: they do not want sympathy; they want action.
The Survivors Who Were Ignored — Until They Could No Longer Be
Virginia Giuffre is one of the most well-known Epstein survivors, but she was not alone. Dozens of women came forward. Dozens more stayed silent, afraid of retaliation, disbelief, or the connections Epstein wielded. Many were children when the abuse began. Many were vulnerable, alone, or without family support — the very victims predators like Epstein intentionally target.
The system ignored them until the public outrage grew impossible to dismiss. But attention is not justice. Media coverage is not accountability. Settlements are not closure.
And while Epstein is dead, many of the individuals who enabled his crimes continue to live comfortable, privileged lives. Some maintain political connections. Others remain wealthy public figures. Some have never been questioned under oath. Others refused to cooperate and faced no consequences.
That reality has brought the survivors’ movement to a boiling point.
“We have been patient long enough,” one survivor told reporters after the hearing. “If Congress wants to use Virginia’s name, then they need to prove they care about what she stood for. And what she stood for was truth — no matter who it threatens.”
Political Interests vs. Survivor Justice
The Epstein case is uniquely susceptible to political exploitation because it implicates people across the ideological spectrum. His connections stretched from Wall Street to royal families, from academia to tech, and from Democratic donors to conservative powerbrokers.
This has allowed lawmakers to weaponize the scandal depending on which names they emphasize — conveniently leaving out individuals aligned with their own party or interests. The result is a distorted narrative that serves politics instead of truth.
But Roberts made it clear today: his sister’s suffering cannot become a partisan currency.
“This isn’t about Democrats or Republicans,” he said. “It’s about children who were hurt, and a system that didn’t protect them. If you can’t put aside your political games for that, then you are part of the problem.”
It was a rare moment of moral clarity inside a building better known for spectacle than substance.
What Real Accountability Would Look Like
Survivors and advocates are calling for a slate of reforms that go beyond symbolic hearings:
Full public release of sealed Epstein records — including names, testimony, and evidence that could expose the network that enabled him.
Mandatory reporting laws for institutions that interact with minors, including hotels, airlines, modeling agencies, and private clubs.
Ending nondisclosure agreements that silence victims and shield abusers.
Strengthening trafficking laws to ensure minors cannot be blamed, criminalized, or coerced into silence.
Funding for survivor services, mental health care, housing, legal assistance, and long-term support — the kind of support Giuffre herself often said she wished others had sooner.
Criminal accountability for co-conspirators who have long used wealth and influence to escape consequences.
None of these measures require partisan battles. They require moral courage — something survivors have shown in abundance, while the political class struggles to find even in small doses.
Honoring a Life That Changed the World
Virginia Giuffre spent her adult life fighting to protect children she would never meet. She pushed the world to confront a truth many preferred to ignore: that powerful men can abuse with impunity unless brave women expose them.
Her death was a tragedy, but her life was an act of resistance.
To honor that, lawmakers must do more than quote her. They must finish the work she started.
The hearing ended with Roberts placing a photo of his sister on the table in front of him — a young Virginia smiling, unaware of the darkness that awaited her. Reporters noted that he rested his hand on the photo several times, as if grounding himself.
When he stood to leave, he said quietly, “She gave everything to stop this. You have no excuse not to finish what she began.”
His words lingered long after he walked away.
Because this is no longer just about Epstein. It is about every institution that allowed him to thrive. Every official who ignored warnings. Every opportunity for intervention was squandered. Every survivor who was dismissed. Every predator who still walks free.
And it is about whether a country that failed these women for decades is finally ready to choose justice over politics.
If this hearing is any indication, survivors are no longer willing to wait.
Before You Click Away!
Stories like Virginia Giuffre’s deserve more than a moment of outrage — they deserve a national megaphone. At The Women Post, we refuse to let survivors be drowned out by political noise, partisan agendas, and institutional silence. Their voices matter. Their voices change things. Their voices are the reason the truth is finally cracking through decades of corruption and complicity.
But amplifying those voices — consistently, boldly, and independently — requires real support. We do not take money from billionaires, political operatives, or corporate interests who would rather these stories disappear. Our power comes from our readers, especially those who choose to invest in this mission with us.
If you’re currently a free subscriber, today is the day to stand with survivors tangibly.
We are offering a 40% discount on our annual plan, and upgrading right now directly fuels our investigative reporting, survivor-centered journalism, and coverage that refuses to let the powerful rewrite the narrative.
Your upgrade means:
More survivor stories told with dignity and depth.
More scrutiny on the institutions protecting abusers.
More reporting that cannot be bought, bullied, or silenced.
More truth — uncomfortable, unfiltered, and unrelenting.
If you believe these women deserve to be heard…
If you believe Virginia’s legacy deserves more than political theater…
If you believe journalism must serve the vulnerable, not the powerful…
Then upgrade today. Not tomorrow. Not someday. Today, while the 40% discount is still active.
Your support strengthens this platform and ensures that no survivor’s story is ever reduced to a talking point again.
Stand with the women who have stood up to the world.
Why do you suppose she never included trump? She knew he was part of it? Why shield him?