Quote:The most revealing lesson of the Epstein files is not about one man’s crimes. It is about how long powerful institutions were willing to look away—and how much pressure it took to make them stop.

The more than 3 million newly released files about the investigation of Jeffrey Epstein tell a grim story about abuse of power. They are also a case study in institutional failure—and a testament to the women who refused to let the truth stay buried.

Beyond that they also deliver a clear leadership lesson—one women have learned repeatedly, and often painfully: We cannot assume institutions will protect us. We have to protect one another. And we have to force accountability when the system will not.