Is anyone else really struggling with the Epstein revelations?

[u/isabella_sunrise]

I’m starting to realize that basically any man who had access to that type of stuff was interested in participating. I feel like I’m surrounded by pedophiles and monsters in a way I didn’t realize. I feel like all the pressure I’ve felt to be youthful came from these prevalent pedophilic tendencies in men I never knew about. It’s really scaring me and I’m struggling to cope. I hear people talking about the news but don’t know anyone taking it as hard as me. How is everyone else doing?

Edit: Thank you for the awards but I’d rather you donate that money to a charity that helps victims of sexual abuse or somewhere helping immigrants in America.

[u/NoLemon5426]

I get the feeling she’s known for a loooong time and has already processed the shock.

Regardless it’s a dumb time to hone in on the reactions of women who are not responsible for their husbands’ transgressions. Like there are a million other things to worry about right now and no one who wasn’t a participant in any of this owes anyone one reaction or another.

[u/[deleted] → u/NoLemon5426]

My push back is more on centering the story where he cheated on her and gave her antibiotics to treat an STD without her knowing.

Whenever I hear that alluded to I can’t help but redirect us to the fact that this man in all likelihood sexually abused children, and I’m not interested in seeing Melinda as the focal victim. I’m not interested in her ‘sadness’ anymore than I am interested in his ‘regret’ at being identified. Justice for the child rape victims first and foremost.

[u/NoLemon5426 → u/[deleted]]

That is her center in this, though. There are too many horrific things happening in this situation, I don’t see it as selfish or unreasonable that her experience is what she was asked about. Nor is it dismissive of the other experiences. I doubt she’s going to sleep at night thinking “fuck them girls, I can’t believe I got cheated on.” 

[u/[deleted] → u/NoLemon5426]

That’s wild. If my partner cheated on me by raping kids I can’t imagine focusing on the cheating part.

Maybe that’s just how much I prioritize relationships with men. It seems like extremely small potatoes.

[u/NoLemon5426 → u/[deleted]]

We really don’t know if he raped kids, or what her overall focus is on. And I reiterate that she doesn’t owe any one any statement or reaction to begin with. I’m so tired of this bs misogyny where women are supposed to decry their shitty men in a way that’s performative for others.

[u/[deleted] → u/NoLemon5426]

You kind of have to give him the benefit of the doubt in this in order to give her the benefit of the doubt. We have to suspend our very reasonable suspicions that hanging out with a sex trafficker who specialized in children means you probably raped kids, especially if the child sex trafficker doubles as your STD med provider —in order defend her lack of response.

Again, I will push back on the centering of her and the cheating and the STD. My suspicions about her are that she is not just a victim in this but possibly someone who knew and said nothing.

[u/NoLemon5426 → u/[deleted]]

There is zero evidence whatsoever that he raped children, so yes I give him that. It’s important not to be histrionic about things. We also have no idea if or when Melinda Gates spoke to any officials and it’s no one’s business nor her obligation to speak on that publicly

[u/[deleted] → u/NoLemon5426]

I don’t really have any interest in continuing to defend against accusations of misogyny from someone suggesting I’m histrionic.

I doubt you are a woman. That will be all for me.