Centering Epstein Survivors: Why the 28th Amendment Matters

By ERA Coalition

November 19, 2025

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The ERA Coalition works with more than 300 state, federal, and grassroots partners to advance the cause of women’s equality in the United States, primarily through adding the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution and supporting states’ ongoing efforts to ratify the ERA.

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In the fallout from Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking crimes, it’s easy to get caught up in headlines — the legal battles, Congressional hearings, investigations, and speculation. But what often gets lost is the long and painful journey of survivors. Our laws fail survivors again and again — and too often, it’s by design. Loopholes, outdated statutes, and systemic bias leave those harmed by sexual abuse without real pathways to justice. To change that, we need stronger, enforceable protections against gender-based violence. The Equal Rights Amendment provides exactly that. The 28th Amendment - the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) — which protects everyone from discrimination regardless of sex— isn’t just a legal fix. The ERA will empower survivors in the conversation about justice, healing, and accountability.

Honoring Survivors’ Stories: Survivors of trafficking and sexual abuse face immense challenges long after their abuse. Beyond concerns about physical safety, depending on their situation and/or relationship with their abuser, they may have unstable housing, limited access to healthcare, emotional trauma, and legal obstacles. Healing often takes years, even decades; sadly, some never recover.

Freedom for survivors is more than physical escape; it’s access to holistic care:

Mental and emotional well‑being: therapy, peer support, and trauma-informed care.
Basic needs: housing, food, and financial stability.
Legal justice: accountability for abusers and protections against retraumatization.
Clearing criminal records for coerced acts: removing obstacles that hinder survivors’ ability to rebuild their lives.
Community and connection: support networks that encourage recovery.

Centering Survivors’ Legal Needs: Survivors are often criminalized or denied the legal protections they need. With the 28th Amendment (ERA), our justice system could provide legal protections and requirements to help survivors:

The ERA would give Congress and the courts the power to create and interpret laws and policies to provide stronger protections for survivors of sexual assault, including:

Give survivors more support and resources to report abuse.
Hold perpetrators accountable, regardless of wealth or influence.
Protect survivors during legal proceedings.
Remove barriers to rebuilding lives.

The ERA strengthens these protections by recognizing sex as a “suspect classification” and requiring sex-based discrimination to undergo strict scrutiny tests. The ERA signals a societal commitment to protecting survivors, reducing stigma, and ensuring access to resources like legal aid, counseling, and housing.

Justice Beyond Punishing Abusers: Policies created under the 28th Amendment (ERA) could deter and punish abusers, while also helping rebuild lives, affirm dignity, and ensure survivors can fully participate in society. We could create legal and systemic support to empower survivors to recover, advocate, and thrive.

Why the 28th Amendment Matters More Than Ever: Recognizing the fully ratified 28th Amendment will show that our society values survivors and their experiences. As a legal foundation, it ensures that survivors of sexual abuse, from every background, can pursue justice, access support, and live free from fear. This amendment, and the possibilities it provides, are a crucial step toward correcting systemic failures, holding abusers accountable, and centering those who survived.