Americans care about justice, especially when it involves kids. Most Americans supported the release of the Epstein files. Many believe that both Republicans and Democrats have a responsibility to ensure justice for the underage victims connected to Jeffrey Epstein's network. The way the scandal has captured global attention is remarkable.
That's why I was so surprised to see so little coverage and reaction to Tim Tebow's powerful testimony before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on March 3, where he pleaded with lawmakers to address the ongoing epidemic of child trafficking, especially via digital platforms. It was worth watching.
In his Senate testimony, the former NFL quarterback and Heisman winner told lawmakers just how much children are being targeted, preyed upon, and trafficked for abuse by everyday people. "We have to do more than just talk about it. We have to act on it and be about it," Tebow said.
Perhaps the most powerful part of Tebow's testimony was when he showed a visual aid that conveyed more than words could: A map of the United States with tens of thousands—over 330,000—red dots representing unique IP addresses tied to sexual abuse material distribution. He said most victims were under 12. Only a handful of blue dots on the map—so few they were difficult to see—represented cases under investigation.
Tebow is the Chairman of the Tim Tebow Foundation. One of their four areas of focus is protecting people from sex trafficking. So far, the non-profit has helped rescue over 3,500 survivors of human trafficking.
The distribution of child sex abuse material and the actual sex-trafficking of children are pervasive and underreported. Child sexual abuse material can be distributed online with ease. This is why I was surprised to see that while Americans say they want the Epstein files released, so victims can see justice served, there seemed to be little reaction or buzz regarding an entire hearing on the sex trafficking of children.
A new poll sheds light on why this might be: A Feb. Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 69% of Americans believe that the news around the Epstein files shows that powerful people get a pass. Not only does that appear to be true—that the powerful people connected with possible unethical or even illegal activity seem to get a pass—but I wonder if that's really the only reason people are interested in the release of the Epstein files: it's not so much about justice for the victims, but because Americans are morbidly fascinated by the idea of people in power getting what's coming. Don't get me wrong, they do. But the real focus should be on the victims. I think it also reveals that many Americans care about what is in the Epstein files because they believed President Donald Trump was going to be implicated. They are more interested in the partisan politics of the files than in the victims getting justice.
This might explain why every time there is a new data dump of thousands more Epstein files, it spurs hundreds of articles, but a hearing showing over a quarter million IP addresses distributing child sex trafficking material didn't make much of a stir at all. If anything, Tebow's testimony showed real-life child trafficking could be a digital version of the Epstein files on steroids.
While it's true that Tebow was invited by lawmakers and that his testimony was televised—which shows some care and concern on the part of politicians—it didn't get much attention otherwise. This raises questions about whether or not people, and the media, really care about child victims, or if they are more titillated over the partisan politics of the Epstein files.
I was glad to see Tebow's passion in communicating just how large a problem child sex trafficking is in America. Investigators in states around the country do seem to be aware of the scope of the problem.
Just last month, over 170 people were arrested during a sex trafficking sting, according to the Scottsdale Police Department. Detectives and state law enforcement agencies worked together to conduct a sting "targeting sex buyers, child predators and people involved in illegal sex work."
On March 3, a Florida county sheriff's office arrested 89 people involved in a multi-week human trafficking operation earlier this year—more than 1,200 felony charges followed.
"If you are using a hotel room, a chat app, or a fake profile to pursue a child, we are there," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister wrote in a release. "Our detectives will follow the digital trail all the way to your door."
As a mother, I am disturbed to see there are stings like this around the country regularly, but at the same time, it offers hope that good men and women can find out and stop alleged traffickers, ultimately saving children from trauma.
As a commentator who has been following the news around the Epstein files, who believes those adult women, who were children when they were abused, deserve justice, I am disappointed that when someone like Tebow speaks to lawmakers, there is little recognition of the event.
Is it because there are no politicians involved? No royalty? No "famous people?" It seems like it—and that's unfortunate. All children deserve to be rescued from the grip of sex trafficking, and I'm glad he is spreading the word.
As Tebow said during his testimony, "The question is, will we actually accept the responsibility of caring for these boys and girls and truly protecting them, or are we just going to continue to talk about it?"
