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“Epstein” shows the way toward the end of impunity

The Jeffrey Epstein case (2005-2019) is not a historical anomaly. It is part of a series of scandals where powerful individuals abused their positions to exploit vulnerable people.

Among the precedents: the Marc Dutroux case in Belgium (1996-2004); the Jimmy Savile case in the UK (1960‑2000, revealed in 2012); the Harvey Weinstein case in the United States (revealed 2017, trial 2020), which sparked the #MeToo movement; and the NXIVM case (1998-2018) led by Keith Raniere. Different contexts, but the same mechanism: social influence, protective networks, prolonged silence.

These cases show how power allows some individuals to turn their dominant position into impunity. It is not just a matter of individual morality but of structures that protect and delay the exposure of wrongdoing.

Today, these revelations reveal a crack in the edifice of power — a positive sign that previously untouchable structures are beginning to fracture. But for this crack to lead to real improvements, responsibility must be clearly defined. The issue is not just moral: it is a question of power, and strong civil societies and movements are needed to limit and end these abuses.

Benyounès Saidi

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