About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of the Epstein scandal on the understanding of sexual abuse, featuring insights from Virginia Giuffre's memoir and commentary from Andrew O'Hagan and Susan Pedersen.
‘I hadn’t wanted to have sex with the prince,’ Virginia Giuffre said, ‘but I felt I had to.’ Reviewing Giuffre’s memoir, Nobody’s Girl, in the LRB, Andrew O’Hagan writes: ‘All the pomp, tradition, ceremony and “loyalty” in the world can’t wash away the simple facts. Ghislaine Maxwell took this young girl to Jeffrey Epstein, who abused her a number of times, then they flew her around the world to be abused by their powerful friends.’ In the same issue, Susan Pedersen observes that ‘the scandal lays bare the entitlement felt and impunity enjoyed by the powerful and crass,’ while pointing out that ‘a girl doesn’t have to fall into Epstein’s clutches to see sexual abuse up close.’ On this episode of the podcast, Susan and Andrew join Thomas Jones to discuss whether the Epstein scandal has anything new to tell us about sexual abuse. Find further reading on the episode page: https://lrb.me/ordinaryabuse From the LRB Subscribe to the LRB: https://lrb.me/subslrbpod Close Readings podcast: https://lrb.me/crlrbpod LRB Audiobooks: https://lrb.me/audiobookslrbpod Bags, binders and more at the LRB Store: https://lrb.me/storelrbpod Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk
People in this episode
Host: Thomas Jones
Guests: Andrew O'Hagan, Susan Pedersen
Topics covered
- sexual abuse
- power dynamics
- entitlement
- impunity
- Epstein scandal
- memoir review
Keywords
- Virginia Giuffre
- Andrew O'Hagan
- Susan Pedersen
- Ghislaine Maxwell
- Jeffrey Epstein
- sexual abuse
- memoir
- entitlement
- impunity
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein
Books & works: Nobody’s Girl
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