Elijah Rising exists because Houston is the largest trafficking hub in the United States. Since 2012, we’ve taken thousands of people on van tours around our city, exposing the darkness of trafficking and compelling the public to respond. We’ve walked with survivors to provide trauma therapy, recovery services, and the reminder that they are loved and worthy. We know what exploitation looks like. And as you may have noticed by our iconic “Seek Justice” shirts, we feel very strongly about justice.
Now the Epstein files are out, and we have questions.
In 2007, prosecutors had a 60-count indictment ready to go. They identified girls as young as 14 exploited through Epstein’s network, but they chose not to move forward with trafficking charges. As far back as 1996, sexual assault complaints were filed. How many children were harmed in the years they looked the other way?
Now, in 2026, millions of documents have finally been released. We hoped this would be a step in the right direction, but instead of naming perpetrators, the DOJ has exposed survivors, identifying nearly 100 victims publicly without their consent. These survivors are being harassed and retraumatized. Last year Virginia Giuffre, one of Epstein’s most vocal accusers, died by suicide. Still, there is no justice- and we wonder why trafficking and abuse are severely underreported crimes.
We remember when Sound of Freedom came out and the outrage that ensued. We got constant phone calls from people saying, “I saw the movie, and I have to do something.” We remember when #SaveTheChildren was everywhere. The internet was appalled by child trafficking, ready to act.
Where is that energy now?
This isn’t a movie. These are real women, real young girls who should have been protected; instead, redactions protect the men who abused them.
We have to ask: how do we reconcile our outrage over child trafficking with support for an administration overseeing a process that protects perpetrators and exposes victims? These are not political questions, they are moral ones.
Isaiah 1 tells us that seeking justice means defending the oppressed. This can’t stop at a hashtag. It has to be a demand we make loudly, regardless of who it implicates.
If you are outraged, we are with you. Let that outrage move you! Instead of consuming content about survivors, advocate for them. Hold institutions accountable — every institution. Long after the news cycle has moved on, we will continue to shout from the rooftops that our children deserve protection and survivors deserve justice. Join us.
