As a child, I was fascinated by comic books and horror movies. Comics defined a world of the fantastic where villains schemed to rule the entire world and the heroes were always there, no matter what the odds or personal cost, to foil their evil plans. A common theme, yet one as noble as the Knights of the Round Table. Horror movies were scary, especially at the old drive-in theater. Frankenstein, Wolfman, Dracula, the Invisible Man, I got. Because I always knew who the monsters were and that no matter how many times they shambled back, the heroes would always find a way to put them back down.
However, the blatant, unimaginable horror of a man like Jeffrey Epstein, I don’t get. I can’t seem to wrap my head around how such a vile man could exist, much less wield worldwide influence centered on the debasement of children. I am shaken to my soul that this real-life monster was enabled to operate in the Virgin Islands with such impunity that he brazenly challenged authority when his will was not immediately obeyed.
But those matters, distasteful as they may be, are now given to history. But those of us of and on these beautiful islands face a future dilemma far greater and further reaching than Fountain Valley ever created. Our most pressing concern has become the question of, “Where goes the Virgin Islands from Epstein?”
We are all, in the eyes of the world, complicit in enabling this malevolent man and the terrors he visited on so many for so long. Whether our complicity is true or not, it doesn’t matter now. We have been tried in the court of public opinion and found wanting. No amount of moko jumbies, steel pans or smiling quadrille dancers will ever be enough to erase that smear from the eyes and minds of the world. Harsh though it may be, we must own what happened here and stop the gaslighting, half-truths, and spin. We must demonstratively become better at protecting our vulnerable populations and stop wasting our energy debating half-truths and spin.
My suggestions are few and are not meant to be comprehensive. There must be an independent commission formed to investigate the truth of what happened and how it happened. This commission should comprise experienced law enforcement personnel, social service workers, lawyers, and immigration experts and should conclude with meaningful, in-depth solutions. Our legislators must research best practices across the nation and devise the harshest penalties for those found guilty of sexual assault and trafficking. We must educate parents, school officials, medical professionals, counselors, coaches, and others on the signs of abuse. We must be prepared to not only treat, but to prevent this abuse from ever happening in our islands without severe consequences.
Epstein will not disappear from the eyes of the world any time soon. As with a different Jeffrey (Dahlmer), his story is too fantastical, too twisted to not pick at the scab. Untying that knot from around our throat won’t be easy, nor will it happen immediately. However, if we are honest and intentional about changing this perception of being a willing and eager partner to pedophiles, it can happen. I know we can and must turn this corner. After all, if Germany can move forward from their monstrous past to become a respected partner on the world stage, then so can we.
— Former Sen. Emmett Hansen, St. Croix
Editor’s Note: Opinion articles do not represent the views of the Virgin Islands Source newsroom and are the sole expressed opinion of the writer. Submissions can be made to visource@gmail.com.
