Reflections on the Epstein Files
Reflections on the Epstein Files
A reflection from Ked Frank, Founder of Safe Places for Women
There are moments when the news feels especially heavy—when what is revealed confirms what many of us already feared. Watching the recent conversations unfold around the Epstein files and the activity in Washington, D.C., is one of those moments.
What has stood out most is not just the accusations or the headlines, but something deeper and more troubling.
“One thing that is very clear… is that there is a lack of taking responsibility.”
As names surface and powerful figures distance themselves, what becomes painfully obvious is how rare accountability is among those with influence, power, and resources. “Everybody is deflecting any sort of involvement or responsibility,” Ked reflects. That reality is disheartening—especially when the issue at hand is the exploitation of vulnerable women and girls.
We want to believe that justice will come swiftly through institutions—through Washington, through legislation, through policy changes. And while those things matter, Ked is clear about what truly brings change.
“The reality is… the way sex trafficking is going to be impacted is never going to be through Washington D.C. It’s not gonna be through state legislation. It’s not gonna be through law enforcement.”
He’s careful to say those systems are important. Necessary. But they are not what ultimately moves the dial.
“It’s gonna be the church.”
Not as an abstract idea. Not as a statement of belief. But as people—showing up, choosing to engage, deciding that this isn’t someone else’s problem to solve.
“We, the church, choosing to say, ‘I’m gonna get involved. I’m going to do what I can to move the dial. I’m going to give my time, my talent, my treasure.’”
There is a temptation, especially when leadership disappoints us, to become cynical or disengaged. To wait for someone else to fix what feels broken at the highest levels. But Ked sees these moments differently.
“It’s a great reminder to say it starts with me.”
He speaks from experience. He has been invited into rooms in Washington D.C.—meetings about trafficking, legislation, policy. He has seen the photo opportunities, the congratulations, the celebrations over bills signed.
“You spend a bunch of money, you go to Washington D.C., you participate in the photos, you shake people’s hands… and you come back and you see very, very little movement that has happened.”
What does move the needle looks much quieter. Much more personal.
It looks like relationships. Presence. Trust.
It looks like a woman on Colfax who reached out for help—and made one request.
“She insisted that we did not involve law enforcement. She just wanted… our help. She didn’t trust leadership.”
She trusted people who showed up.
That moment says more than any press conference ever could. It reveals why this work cannot be outsourced to institutions alone. It must be embodied by people willing to step in, stay close, and love well.
“So again—what can I do to be involved? And how should I be praying?”
The answer doesn’t begin in Washington. It begins in the mirror.
“It’s a great reminder of—it starts with me.”
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