Virginia Giuffre, an outspoken and courageous woman who fought against sex trafficking and abuse, died by suicide at the age of 41. This comes as a devastating reminder of the continued toll abuse takes on survivors. Virginia dedicated her life to fighting for justice. We look at the legacy she left behind.
Virginia Giuffre spent many years fighting for justice for herself and other victims of sexual abuse. Described as “a fierce warrior” by her sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, Virginia supported survivors and inspired courage in many.
In a statement provided by her family, it was revealed: “It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia,” Adding: “She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking.”
Standing up to Epstein
Guiffre was one of the first people calling for criminal charges against Jeffrey Epstein to be brought. She relentlessly pursued justice for her and other victims of sexual abuse.
The first court case against Epstein was in 2009, when Giuffre (then only identified as Jane Doe 102) sued Epstein and Maxwell for sex trafficking a minor. This, along with dozens of other lawsuits, were settled for undisclosed amounts. This settlement was later unsealed in 2022, revealing it amounted to $500,000.
Guiffre was approached by Ghislaine Maxwell in 2000 when she was working at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. She was offered a job as a massage therapist for Epstein. At the time Virginia was in a vulnerable position, telling the BBC years later: “I told them I’d had a really hard time in my life up until then — I’d been a runaway, I’d been sexually abused, physically abused.”
Virginia alleged that after this, the couple sex trafficked her, offering her out to their friends and associates. She said she was flown across the world to have sex with men while she was a minor.
She first spoke out on the alleged abuse in 2010, after the birth of her daughter. In a statement provided by her family, they said: “It was when she held her newborn daughter in her arms that Virginia realised she had to fight back against those who had abused her and so many others.”
In 2006, the first criminal case against Epstein was brought, charging him with unlawful sex acts with a minor, which was then handed over to the FBI. However, Epstein wasn’t prosecuted with the South Florida U.S Attorney signing a non-prosecution agreement without informing the victims.
It wasn’t until 2019 that Epstein was arrested and charged with sex trafficking and conspiracy at Peterborough Airport, New Jersey. One month later, on August 10, Epstein was found dead after committing suicide in his prison cell.
Virginia was later a key informant to law enforcement, helping prosecutors convict Ghislaine Maxwell in 2021.
Going public against Prince Andrew
Virginia explained the alleged abuse from Epstein and Maxwell to the BBC, stating that the pair had trafficked her to a circle of influential men, including Prince Andrew.
Instead of avoiding the glare of the media, Guiffre asked the UK public to “stand beside her” as she told her story.
She told the BBC the couple had taken her to Tramp nightclub in London, where she met Prince Andrew. Later that night, Ghislaine instructed Guiffre to “do for him what you do for Epstein.”
A photograph of Guiffre, Prince Andrew, and Maxwell in London has since been widely circulated.
Following this, Prince Andrew did an infamous interview with Emily Maitlis, where he categorically denied the claims. This interview has been widely viewed as disastrous for the prince’s public image, and four days after the interview, the Duke of York withdrew from public duties.
Speaking with Marie Claire, Giuffre explained the toll speaking out had taken “At times it has been truly frightening speaking up – particularly as a wife and mother concerned about her family,” Adding: “I’ve had death threats. I know the people I’m speaking out against have limitless power and money – Epstein and Maxwell wielded immense power and often let me know that they would never go to jail. But if I had stayed silent, they would still be running one of the most prolific sex trafficking rings of modern times.”
In 2022 Giuffre reached an out-of-court settlement with Prince Andrew after suing him over claims of sexual assault. As a result, the prince demonstrated regret for his association with Epstein, donating money to Guiffre’s advocacy organisation, SOAR.
Speak out, Act, Reclaim
Virginia dedicated her work to supporting victim-survivors. She founded Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR) a charity which helps victims of sex trafficking in 2015 (formerly Victims Refuse Silence).
On the charity’s website, a quote from Virginia says: “I do this for victims everywhere. I am no longer the young and vulnerable girl who could be bullied. I am now a survivor, and nobody can ever take that away from me.”
She used her story to uplift survivors, inspiring a movement that will outlive her.
Amanda Roberts told people: “When you go through what she’s been through her entire life, it’s not over when the court case is over. You are still fighting for the rest of your life,
“The toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight.”