#71. A Child’s Rights: Politics, Law & Sex Crimes - Dr. Pantea Javidan

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses child sexual exploitation, trafficking, and trauma.

What does the law really say about protecting children — and who does it leave behind? 🚨 This week on Smooth Brain Society, Dr. Pantea Javidan of Stanford University joins host Sahir and co-host Sabrina Page (Founder of the Gender Violence Research and Collaboration Network) to expose the hidden history of child trafficking laws, the shocking contradictions in how minors are criminalized, and why cases like Jeffrey Epstein reveal a system built to protect the powerful, not the vulnerable. We also dive into today’s battles over age of consent, criminal responsibility, and how children’s rights are being trampled in real time.

Dr. Pantea Javidan: https://humanrights.stanford.edu/people/pantea-javidan

News stories mentioned in intro: https://www.democracynow.org/2025/8/13/headlines/state_department_scrubs_reporting_on_human_rights_abuses_committed_by_trumps_allies

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/crime/youth-crime/trump-youth-crime-donald-elon-musk-doge/65-20a65893-4f32-4c12-873b-2d8449deb5e6

Chapters

• 0:00 Content Warning and Update
• 2:41 Introductions
• 10:29 A History of Child Trafficking Laws
• 22:42 Political and Social dynamics of trafficking (The Epstein Case)
• 38:38 Children's rights and why the USA is an outlier
• 44:58 Erosion of Children's Rights
• 58:52 Implementing Trauma Informed Approaches to justice
• 1:11:36 Child militias and Wrap up