Earlier this week, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein courageously spoke out once again. For more than 20 years, they have been demanding justice. This time, they came together—some for the first time—to demand the release of the ‘Epstein files’, reminding the world that survivors will not be silenced.
Pictured: Community partners from the anti-trafficking, anti-domestic violence, and anti-sexual assault movements and Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health; Kay Buck, CEO of Cast; Patti Giggans, Executive Director of Peace Over Violence; and Hilda Solis, Los Angeles County Supervisor.
Today, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis hosted Cast, Peace Over Violence, Los Angeles City and County representatives, and community leaders to stand in solidarity with survivors of human trafficking and violence everywhere. Hilda Solis, Los Angeles County Supervisor, Eunisses Hernandez, Los Angeles City Councilmember, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Kay Buck, CEO of Cast, and Patti Giggans, Executive Director of Peace Over Violence came together to share an important message: Believe Survivors. Survivors must be heard, believed, and supported, not just in high-profile cases, but in every community where exploitation hides in plain sight.
Patti Giggans, Executive Director of Peace Over Violence, and Kay Buck, CEO of Cast
Courage to Speak
The stories that the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have shared are painful beyond belief. They reveal not only the harm caused by one man, but also the harm caused when systems refuse to listen. Survivors should never have to fight this hard to be heard.
Sadly, this is a common occurrence. Survivors of human trafficking know all too well what it means to speak into silence, to carry fear of retaliation, or to feel erased because their experiences do not make headlines. Most trafficking cases don’t involve the ultra-rich or celebrities. Instead, they involve marginalized people who have experienced poverty, homelessness, violence, and systemic racism—root causes of human trafficking. These survivors deserve to be believed and supported, too. It isn’t enough to respond after harm has already been done. Real prevention begins long before someone is exploited.
From Reaction to Prevention
Regardless of what happens in Washington, DC, lawmakers at every level must understand: We can’t only respond to trafficking after the harm is done. We must stop it before it starts. That means investing in what we know works: strong, community-based systems that address the root causes of exploitation, like:
- Early intervention through education and outreach
- Access to good-paying jobs and economic opportunities
- A fair and humane immigration system
- Affordable housing in every community
- Access to healthcare, especially for mental health.
Trafficking doesn’t happen in isolation. It’s fueled by poverty, lack of resources, and limited opportunities. Right now, unjust immigration raids and federal cuts to programs that support trafficking survivors are creating the perfect environment for trafficking to thrive.
Right now, those foundations are crumbling. Federal cuts to survivor services and aggressive immigration raids are creating the conditions traffickers depend on. Poverty, isolation, and fear are not accidental—they are the soil in which exploitation grows.
Where Change Begins
Change begins when survivors are not only listened to, but when their truths shape how we respond as a society. Change begins with prevention. Change begins with healing.
Today was about standing with survivors of Epstein. But tomorrow, and every day after, it must also be about standing with the survivors whose names we don’t know, whose stories may never be televised, and whose healing depends on us creating a different future.
We sincerely thank Supervisor Hilda Solis, Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, Executive Director Patti Giggans, Peace Over Violence, and all the advocates and organizations fighting to end domestic violence, sexual assault, and homelessness for standing with us today and uplifting this call to action. Together, we move closer to a world where survivors do not have to fight alone, and where justice is not delayed for decades—but begins the moment someone says, I need help.
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If you or someone you know is a survivor and needs help, Cast is here. Our 24/7 confidential hotline—888-KEY-2-FREE (888-539-2373)—offers free, confidential support, from housing to legal services and more.
