There are plenty of moments in the Prince Andrew interview – yes, we’re still talking about that horror show – which raised an eyebrow. Whether it was the bizarre admission about his inability to perspire or how he appeared more embarrassed about visiting a Pizza Express than staying at the home of a convicted sex offender, for me, the most harrowing moment came at the very end.
Because, even when Emily Maitlis all but handed Andrew the opportunity to summon the slightest bit of compassion for the victims of Jeffrey Epstein, he could not even bring it on himself to feign the tiniest bit of empathy.
Instead he shrugged off his former friend’s behaviour, suggesting it was “unbecoming” for someone associated with the royal family. He maintained, with the infuriatingly cavalier tone that underpinned the exchange, that the paedophile was a useful contact.
Even Maitlis could not hide her surprise. “Unbecoming?” she interjected, eyeing him incredulously. “He was a sex offender.”
Would it really have been so hard to acknowledge the women Epstein abused? Cynically, given that Andrew faces allegations of his own, it would have been smart to attempt to express some kind of regret at befriending a man who preyed on criminally young women – especially as we know he spent four days staying at Epstein’s house following the billionaire’s release from jail for soliciting prostitution from girls as young as 14 (a plea deal, we would realise later, barely scratched the surface).
Of course, this tone-deaf behaviour is not confined to one murky royal. The erasure of victims is all too common. We cast villains in the story and forget the consequences of their heinous actions or, worse still, try to find some way to discredit the women who have suffered. We are treading tired ground.
Women and girls who accused Jimmy Savile of sexual assault got nowhere until his death. A 15-year-old girl in the Rochdale sex abuse ring trial was described by one social worker as having made a “lifestyle choice”.
But, even when offered a public platform to condemn his former companion’s behaviour as abhorrent, The Duke joined a growing list of prosecutors, police and public figures who have repeatedly failed to show any empathy for victims; discussing Epstein as if he was guilty of minor indiscretions.
While the Duke’s lack of remorse should prompt further scrutiny about his own conduct, it serves as a stark reminder of how easy it is for powerful men to disregard victims. We need not scratch our heads and wonder why abusers get away with preying on young women for so long: the answer is right in front of us – not sweating a drop.
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