Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual abuse, has died by suicide aged 41, her household has mentioned.
Ms Giuffre was one of the outspoken accusers of convicted intercourse offenders Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend. She alleged they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17, which Prince Andrew has strenuously denied.
Family members mentioned in an announcement on Friday that she had been a “fierce warrior within the struggle in opposition to sexual abuse”, and that the “toll of abuse… grew to become insufferable”.
“She misplaced her life to suicide, after being a lifelong sufferer of sexual abuse and intercourse trafficking,” they mentioned.
The assertion described the mom of three “as the sunshine that lifted so many survivors” and mentioned she died on Friday at her farm in Western Australia.
West Australia police mentioned they had been referred to as to a house within the Neergabby space on Friday night time, the place Ms Giuffre was discovered unresponsive.
An announcement continued: “The demise is being investigated by Main Crime detectives; early indication is the demise will not be suspicious.”
Ms Giuffre – who was born within the US – had been residing together with her kids and husband Robert within the suburb of North Perth, though latest reviews prompt the couple had cut up after 22 years of marriage.
Three weeks in the past, Ms Giuffre posted on Instagram to say she had been significantly injured in a automobile accident, which her household later mentioned she had not meant to make public. Native police later disputed the severity of the crash.
In an announcement, Ms Giuffre’s long-time spokesperson Dini von Mueffling described her as “one of the extraordinary human beings I’ve ever had the honour to know”.
She mentioned Ms Giuffre was a “beacon to different survivors and victims” and that “it was the privilege of a lifetime to characterize her”.
After making her abuse allegations public, Ms Giuffre grew to become a outstanding campaigner and was intently related to the Me Too motion.
Ms Giuffre alleged that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to Prince Andrew when she was 17.
The prince, who has denied all claims in opposition to him, reached an out-of-court settlement together with her in 2022.
The settlement included an announcement through which he expressed remorse for his affiliation with Epstein however contained no admission of legal responsibility or apology.
Ms Giuffre mentioned she grew to become a sufferer of intercourse trafficking when she was an adolescent.
She mentioned she met Maxwell, a British socialite, in 2000.
From there, she mentioned she was launched to American financier Epstein and alleged years of abuse by him and his associates.
Epstein took his personal life in jail in 2019, the place he was being held awaiting trial on intercourse trafficking costs.
He was beforehand convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor.
Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years in jail within the US for her position in Epstein’s trafficking and abuse.
If you’re struggling misery or despair, particulars of assist and help within the UK can be found at BBC Motion Line. Within the US, you may contact the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or the Disaster Take a look at Line by texting HOME to 741741. Assist can be out there within the US and Canada by dialing 988. Younger individuals in want of assist can name Children Assist Cellphone on 1-800-668-6868
