Accountability in the Post-Epstein Era

Accountability can mean many things to different people. When it comes to redressing the harms of sexual violence, there are several fundamental considerations:

• Taking full responsibility for the harm caused. Full is the key here – not blaming the victim’s choices or excusing harmful behaviors as being provoked or due to naivete.
• Acknowledging the impact of the harm caused. To take accountability for sexual violence must include confronting the weight of the harm from the survivor’s perspective.
• Actively unlearning harmful behaviors and thought patterns. Accountability means nothing if the harmful behavior persists. On a systems level, this may look like the redistribution of power.
• Repairing the harm done. This may mean restitution to the survivor or the community. It may mean an apology without the expectation of forgiveness.

This list doesn’t explicitly include punishment. However, punishment, i.e. carceral confinement, may be what is needed to accomplish accountability for a specific survivor or community.

The harrowing headlines of the past decade only magnify what survivors of sexual violence and those supporting them have long known: this version of accountability is rare. The high-profile offenders – a la Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Jeffrey Epstein – only seem to have faced consequences after years (hell, decades) of abuse, propped up by the infrastructure that has been built brick by brick to silence survivors.

And these upper echelon abusers are not aberrations. These perpetrators (and the systems that support them) share more characteristics with commonplace instances of sexual violence than they differ. Each share a modus operandi – exploitation – enabled by a power differential. This power differential creates the perfect ecosystem to discredit, shame, and silence the victim, while offering the abuser a way out with NDA’s, anemic plea deals, or a slap on the wrist. And these sweetheart deals happen in every social tier, from the top executive or entrepreneur to the local politician, pastor, or police officer.

What these high-profile headlines also have in common with the sexual violence occurring in our communities is the undeniable truth that when survivors are believed and supported in the aftermath of their victimization, outcomes change.¹ For example, the “Me Too” movement, championed by activist Tarana Burke, created a simple but effective mechanism for survivors of all social classes to reclaim their power and identify one another in the ground swell victim-blaming and misogyny.² Award-winning journalists also stood by survivors, risking their jobs and reputations in a hostile media environment to expose perpetrators, shedding light on the dark underbelly of Hollywood.³ And more recently, survivors of Epstein and his co-conspirators have demanded transparency and accountability from the federal government with the support of legislators and members of the media.^{4, 5}

What I choose to take away from these national cases is that real accountability is possible. But only when we believe, uplift, and zealously defend survivors. That is the only solid foundation on which we can successfully build a world free from sexual violence. I saved an Instagram post the other day that perfectly captured my thoughts on building that world:

by “With You We Can” on Instagram (@withyouwecan_): “…[L]asting change requires moving people from witness to participants. […] The goal is to build the resources, evidence, relationships and policy pathways that change what happens when someone enters those systems. If we create understanding around our justice system, not just for the people going through it but for those who wouldn’t otherwise engage, we are better placed to reform it. Stopping at the ‘getting more people to understand the problem’ part is only half the work – the burden is still sitting with those experiencing the harm. So instead, we ask, ‘what needs to change so the next person doesn’t have to fight the same fight?’”

What we all must remember is that seeking accountability is not the survivor’s burden to carry, nor is it reserved for the offender alone. The systems, and the people that make up those systems, must be held to account for the harm they cause, too. From the first moment after victimization, a survivor should be supported in the way they choose for themselves. Held with compassion on the crisis line, wrapped in comfort at the hospital, interviewed from a place of care by law enforcement, and treated with dignity at every other point they choose to so bravely engage. And if they choose not to engage with all or part of “the system” that should be respected, too. When this doesn’t happen, the harm needs to be accounted for on individual, systems, and institutional levels.

It is apparent, from viewing the national news and in the day-to-day conversations with colleagues and clients, the current form of “justice” being offered to survivors is no longer palatable (if it ever was). Luckily, there is a network – you may already be a part of it – of survivors, advocates, attorneys, policy makers, community activists, and more – that dedicate themselves each day to reshape what accountability looks like; to improve outcomes for survivors; and to shift the narrative from shame to support. That dedication is rooted in a deep knowing that survivors deserve better; that it is possible to dismantle the systems that oppress and harm our neighbors; and that what we rebuild can truly be called justice – for all.

Ways that OAESV can help you seek accountability for survivors in your community:

• Engage with law makers to help shape the way Ohio prevents and responds to sexual violence
  • First Friday calls
  • Policy digest
  • Bill testimony
  • Advocacy Day
• Uplift survivor stories and experiences in ethical and innovative ways
  • SEAC
  • Our ethical storytelling resources: blog post and podcast episode (Season 4, Episode 10).
• Help build your local network of professionals responding to sexual violence through a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), a Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT), & Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) development.
• Access trauma-informed & survivor-centered advocacy, housing, & legal assistance
• Spark joy, hope, and inspiration while listening to the Teal Talk Podcast, with guests from all parts of the movement.
• Learn and collaborate with experts in the field through Training & Technical Assistance opportunities.
  • Annual Conference
  • Seasonal Training Series

This publication was supported by the Rape Crisis Trust Fund, administered by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office

¹ Kimberly A. Lonsway and Sergeant Joanne Archambault, Improving Responses to Sexual Assault Disclosures: Both Informal and Formal Support Providers. EVAWI, June 2024.

² Anna North, “For every Harvey Weinstein, there’s a hundred more men in the neighborhood who are doing the exact same thing”, Vox, October 28, 2017.

³ Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades, The New York Times, October 5, 2017.

⁴ Epstein Files Transparency Act, H.R. 4405, 119th Congress (2025-2026)

⁵ Phang v. Blanche, 1:26-cv-01417 (D.D.C. filed April 27, 2026).