Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused Britain’s Prince Andrew and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, has died by suicide at the age of 41, her family announced.
In a statement released on Saturday, Giuffre’s family said:
“It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia.”
Emergency services were called to a property near Perth on Friday night, where Giuffre was found unresponsive. Despite attempts to revive her, she was pronounced dead at the scene, police confirmed. Authorities stated that her death is not being treated as suspicious.
Giuffre, a mother of three, had been a fierce advocate for survivors of sexual abuse and trafficking. Her family described her as “a fierce warrior” who had “lifted so many survivors with her light.”
“In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight,” the statement continued.
Giuffre became one of the most recognisable figures in the global reckoning over Epstein’s extensive abuse network. She alleged that Epstein trafficked her as a teenager and forced her to have sex with his influential associates, including Prince Andrew, claims which the prince has repeatedly and strenuously denied.
Her allegations against Prince Andrew led to a major scandal for the British royal family. Although he denied any wrongdoing, Andrew reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022, reportedly paying her millions of dollars without any admission of liability.
Epstein, who was awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges, died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019. His former partner, Ghislaine Maxwell, was later convicted of facilitating Epstein’s abuse and is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Court documents unsealed in 2022 showed that Epstein paid Giuffre $500,000 in a 2009 settlement over similar allegations.
Although she did not testify in Maxwell’s trial, Giuffre’s fight for justice became symbolic of the broader movement exposing the abuses carried out by Epstein and his network.
Tributes from survivors’ groups and advocacy organisations poured in following news of her death, praising her bravery and tireless work in shining a light on the crimes of powerful men.
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