Ghislaine Maxwell Found Guilty

But the original Stockholm situation occurs between victims and captors, and these girls were not captives, dependant on Epstein or even in regular close contact, as I thought originally.

I believe they were enticed by the glamorous lifestyle apparently on offer to them.
I also think that this trial, with Maxwell held in custody for fifteen months and the threat of lifelong sentences held over her is an attempt to force her to give names of participants in plea-bargaining because the original Epstein trial was such a whitewash.

Easy bee, I responded earlier by mentioning Stockholme Syndrome.

I think I have said this before but when I was young I knew a 17 year old who got pregnant to a teacher. She had an abortion alone. Now she was over the age of consent but I think that's an abusive situation that nowadays would be covered by the law relating to teachers.

It isn't victim blaming, it is a genuine question.
Not much of the actual case has been reported here, but seriously, would you return willingly for what is a horrible un natural experience?
And yes, I have had contact with children who were abused, a boy and a girl, but they were in families and it was not possible to escape.
I also know someone who was the victim of a false accusation of child molestation, and was only cleared because a victim of the identical scam came forward to identify the perpetrators.

They could consent to sex itself at 16. There are many variations with regard to minors. Sone countries have laws relating to the age gap between those who have sex. So its ok for example for two 17 year olds to have sex but against the law for say a 40 year old to have sex with a 17 year old. Something which strikes me as eminently sensible.

Thank you for replying Galaxy yes an 18 year old is not a child, I don’t think 17 year olds are children but the law does.

It depends on the relevant legislation annie so in this country for example if an adult films a 17 year old undertaking a sexual act that is illegal. They can only consent to that at 18.

Galaxy when does a teenager stop being a child ? A 16 year old can marry with parents consent , 18 to vote, 18 to marry without consent .

Yes a 14 year old is a child but a 17 year old ?

Some teenage girls are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation than others. The evidence is clear that children with attachment difficulties, children who have been abused, neglected, sexualised etc are more vulnerable than those with secure attachments, loving parents who set appropriate boundaries.

Blondiescot

MissAdventure

Coersive control is about so much more than being threatened.

A fact which seems to be lost on so many on this thread. And I also agree with the last comments made by Iam64, VioletSky and Granniesunite. As I said, there really is no place for victim blaming on here.

? I agree

Anniebach
Virginia Giuffre’s father said he use to drop her off at Epstein’s
house, he didn’t know what was happening in there but she was a very good actress

I know we have different views on child sexual exploitation Annie but, what does this post mean?

Sorry Iam I wasn’t very clear. He gave a tv interview, asked
questions and gave replies.

He said he regretted taking his daughter to Trumps hotel to look for a job.

He said he didn’t know what was really happening in Epstein’s
house, she didn’t show any upset when he use to drop her off there for work, she was a very good actress.

This was his explanation for not knowing anything about his daughter being abused by Epstein.

In law yes. It's why we have laws to protect children.

Are all teenage girls vulnerable ? I do mean all teenage girls not
only those involved in this trial

Anniebach

Virginia Giuffre’s father said he use to drop her off at Epstein’s
house, he didn’t know what was happening in there but she was a very good actress

I know we have different views on child sexual exploitation Annie but, what does this post mean?

Nightsky2

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree eazybee. Some of it just doesn't make sense to me.

GSM and Easybee…..Some of it doesn’t make sense to me either.

It may not make sense because few of us have lived the kind of life many of those girls did. Many of them came from backgrounds of abuse or neglect - those like Epstein/Maxwell are very good at picking out victims who are vulnerable for those very reasons. To those girls, a chance to be part of what would seem like a glamorous, enticing lifestyle would be hard to resist - and once there, who knows what coercive control or threats were put into place to keep them returning time and time again? A vulnerable teenage girl would be in no position to realise just what she was getting herself into - and as in common in such situation, it can take years, sometime many years, before victims of such crime actually find it within themselves to come forward and speak up.

Virginia Giuffre’s father said he use to drop her off at Epstein’s
house, he didn’t know what was happening in there but she was a very good actress

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree eazybee. Some of it just doesn't make sense to me.

GSM and Easybee…..Some of it doesn’t make sense to me either.

????Anniebach.

This lady has had contact with someone abused

MissAdventure

Coersive control is about so much more than being threatened.

A fact which seems to be lost on so many on this thread. And I also agree with the last comments made by Iam64, VioletSky and Granniesunite. As I said, there really is no place for victim blaming on here.

eazybee

*kjmpde, Germanshepherdsmum*
I agree with some of what you say. There does not appear to have been any evidence of coercion, threats or bullying, just enticement to participate in what appeared to be an exotic lifestyle. I don't dispute it was criminal to expose fourteen year old girls to this.
What I genuinely do not understand. in this and other cases, was for example, a girl saying she froze with fear when Epstein pulled down her pants. Horrible. Why then did she go back, again and again?
I thought initially the girls were trapped in a sort of Playboy Mansion on an island, semi-captive, like girls who have been trafficked and are unable to leave, but these girls were living at home and called in for 'work.' So it was a conscious decision to go. Each time. Why?
Were they threatened?

How lucky you ladies are not to have any contact with someone who has been abused.

Stockholm Syndrome didn’t only happen to Patty Hurst, it’s seen in women abused by husbands, in children who defend their abusive parents or carers.
Vulnerable adolescent girls seduced into a lifestyle where promiscuous sex was central. Maxwell and Epstein had friendships with presidents, movie stars, royalty. A neglected 14 year old with very limited life experience could be sucked in, begin to see it as normal. That in no way diminishes the trauma, the ptsd, depression, difficulty making stable relationships and so on they experienced.

A lit of young people are lured into what seems like a promising situation. That does not mean that as adults they would have made those decisions.

Especially when those were grown adults around them telling them it was no big deal, probably plying them with alcohol or other substances, keeping them emotionally unbalanced and unaware of the true damage that was happening.

Laying any blame at their feet is unthinkable wrong. They were used and abused. They were innocent and corrupted by disgusting adults who should have known better.

Those adults knowingly broke the law and should be punished to full extent.

Their victims have been punished too and do not need anyone's judgement.

I agree eazybee. Some of it just doesn't make sense to me.

I know the sentencing in the US is ridiculous but the fact that she could get a sentence in the region of 60 yrs doesn’t sit well with me. Different country but when the likes of little Arthur’s murderers are only receiving less than half of that it sickens me. Some perspective needed I think.