I was quite disappointed in the Panorama programme. I don't think it gave much that hadn't been said before. I don't know if Virginia Roberts was meant to be very limited in what she said but I thought we'd hear a bit more detail about the 3 actual incidents of alleged sex with PA. Something along the lines of how they actually got into the bedroom or bathroom, what was said and by whom.
She really only talked about the 1st incident, at Ghislaine's home, but even then didn't really say anything. She went from Ghislaine telling her in the car on the way there that she was to do for PA what she does for Jeffrey to wanting her photo taken with PA (and looking very happy in it).
I do believe the photo is genuine but I think she looks genuinely happy in it. Her whole face is lit up and happy, not like a fake smile that doesn't reach the eyes.
I do think a couple of photos of other occasions (not with PA) show her looking less than happy.
The other 2 alleged occasions of sex with PA were mentioned as one liners by the interviewer. No detail about how they came about. Was PA just in a bedroom ready in the bed/massage table waiting for her? Was there conversation? There's a lot she could have said that would have given people close to PA an indication of whether his language and terminology and style of speaking rang true. (Especially Fergie).
She said she was sexually abused from the age of 7. She didn't say by whom. She said she ran away from home and found hunger, pain and abuse on the streets. It makes you think she was sexually abused by family but maybe not.
When she was sought out and offered an interview to be trained as a masseuse by Ghislaine Maxwell she was as already working at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. She said her dad got her the job and she excitedly told him about her interview. So, for the previous poster, her father was around and helpful to her.
I was shocked that the BBC had the email record from 2015 from PA to Ghislaine Maxwell stating he had some specific questions about Virginia Roberts. Considering he had been accused of having sex with her, if he was going to email his friend, why didn't he say 'who the hell is this girl saying she had sex with me? I don't remember ever having even met her?'
The email, while not actual proof, makes me think it is likely he had sex with her.
I was then shocked by the other email sent to Virginia Roberts by a journalist saying "Don't forget (other man's name)" etc. Why did she need reminding about what to say? Surely if it was all true and horrific she wouldn't need reminding? This had made me doubt her story. The fact that she was paid 160,000 dollars for her story in 2011 by the Mail on Sunday adds to my doubting her. She sounds to me like a willing prostitute.
The information she and her friend gave that didn't tally also made me doubt both of the women. She admits she got it wrong by referring to an incident in New Mexico - the location was wrong. How can she have confused that? New Mexico is 2000 miles away from New York and not remotely similar. She admits she could be wrong on places or dates ffs.
I'm left thinking that she and PA probably did have sex (or a massage and sex). I think she enjoyed the lifestyle (not necessarily her work but money, surroundings etc) and was basically a prostitute who came to regret it. She possibly was vulnerable but, especially in New York, she wasn't locked up. She could have left. She chose not to. It doesn't sound like JE and GM were replacement family. By all accounts the girls were just used for their services.
It is all a mess. JE is dead. I don't think it likely they would ever get a conviction against PA for having sex with a minor. I think the best thing that could happen is for all the women to be provided with long term counselling paid for from JE's estate.
I am concerned that men are 3 times more likely than women to commit suicide and PA has had a massive fall from grace. He may have, very wrongly, had sex with someone who was not quite of age if he had sex with VR in the US. She was over 16 here so that, presumably, would not be a crime. I would, however, not like to hear that PA feels suicide is the only way out if this situation. What JE did to the girls is appalling but if sounds like he trafficked her. I don't think PA forced her to have sex with him.