Elizabeth Smart Condemns Ghislaine Maxwell’s Prison Privileges as ‘Sickening’
BRYAN, Texas — Elizabeth Smart, the renowned kidnapping survivor and child-safety advocate, has voiced sharp criticism over the reported special privileges afforded to Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted sex trafficking accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, at a federal prison camp in Texas. Maxwell, who was transferred last summer to the Federal Prison Camp Bryan, a minimum-security facility, has drawn ire from victims and advocates alike for what some inmates describe as “country club” conditions.
Smart, 38, who was abducted at age 14 and held captive for nine months before being rescued, spoke candidly about the haunting parallels she sees between her own ordeal and the abuse facilitated by Maxwell. “When I hear that Ghislaine’s in the country club of prisons, it just makes me sick to my stomach,” Smart told Fox News Digital. “How could she betray other women like that? How could she stand aside and watch young girls be abused — and be OK with it? Not just be OK with it, but encourage it? It’s disgusting.”
Her comments come amid reports from The Wall Street Journal that inmates at the Bryan prison have complained about special treatment Maxwell allegedly receives, including occasional relaxed security measures. The facility, which houses approximately 622 inmates, is known for its minimum-security environment, but Maxwell’s transfer there raised eyebrows among corrections experts. Judi Garrett, a former assistant director at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, described the move as “highly unusual.”
Smart’s advocacy work for missing and exploited children has made her a prominent voice on the trauma endured by victims of abduction and sexual abuse. In her recently published book, Detours: Hope & Growth After Life’s Hardest Truths, she explores the long-lasting impact of trauma and the journey toward healing. Reflecting on Maxwell’s role in Epstein’s network, Smart said, “The whole situation is just horrific, nightmarish and hellish — the way [she and Epstein] preyed on vulnerable girls. And this woman facilitated the rape and abuse of so many girls.”
Smart drew a painful connection between her own captor’s betrayal and Maxwell’s complicity. “One of the things that really haunts me is that she played a major role in the abuse these young women suffered,” Smart explained. “That was the same as my captor. Not only did she stand aside and let me be hurt, but she also encouraged it and watched it happen. She never once protected me or stood in the way of him raping me. I felt like the Epstein case echoed that.”
Maxwell’s conviction in 2021 for sex trafficking and related charges marked a significant moment in the ongoing reckoning with Epstein’s criminal enterprise. After her sentencing, she was initially held at a high-security federal detention center before her transfer to Bryan. The Department of Justice oversees the federal prison system and has faced scrutiny over how high-profile inmates are managed.
Smart emphasized the moral betrayal she perceives in Maxwell’s actions and the importance of solidarity among women. “To me, I’ve always felt there’s a sisterhood between women,” she said. “One woman should never betray another. A grown woman should never hurt or help facilitate the abuse of young girls. When that happened to me, it felt like a massive betrayal.”
Her remarks underscore the broader debate about justice and prison conditions for those convicted of crimes involving exploitation and abuse. Advocates for victims argue that any leniency or preferential treatment undermines the severity of the offenses and the suffering endured by survivors.
As the nation continues to grapple with the legacy of Epstein and Maxwell’s crimes, voices like Smart’s serve as a reminder of the human toll behind the headlines and the ongoing need for vigilance in protecting vulnerable populations. For more information on federal prison policies and victim advocacy, visit the Office for Victims of Crime and the Federal Bureau of Prisons websites.
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