Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein of sexual assault, has committed suicide at the age of 41, her family has announced.
Giuffre was one of the women who spoke out most loudly about the crimes of convicted sex offenders Epstein and Gillian Maxwell, his ex-girlfriend.
She alleged that they pimped her out to the Duke of York when she was 17, which Prince Andrew categorically denied.
Her family said in a statement Friday that she was a "fearless fighter against sexual abuse" and that "the burden of that abuse had become unbearable."
"She lost her life to suicide, having been a victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking for the rest of her life," they said.
The statement described the mother-of-three as "a light that lifted up many survivors" and said she died on Friday at her farm in Western Australia.
Western Australian Police said they were called to a home in the Nirgebi area on Friday evening, where Jufra's lifeless body was found.
The statement added: "The death is being investigated by serious crime detectives; early indications do not indicate the death is suspicious."
Giuffre, who was born in the US, lived with her children and husband Robert in the suburb of North Perth, although recent reports suggest the couple have separated after 22 years of marriage.
- Sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the hiring of minors "for massage and work"
- Who is Prince Andrew, what titles is he losing and why?
- Coercive control in a relationship: "I was 16 and thought it was normal"
Three weeks ago, Giuffre announced on Instagram that she had been seriously injured in a car accident, which her family later said she did not want to make public.
Local police later denied the seriousness of the collision.
In a statement, longtime spokeswoman Giuffre Dini von Meffling described Virginia as "one of the most extraordinary human beings she has ever had the honor of meeting."
She said Giuffre was a "lighthouse for other survivors and victims" and that "it was the privilege of her life to represent her."
After publicly making allegations of abuse, Giuffre became a prominent activist and was closely associated with the movement. me Too.
Giuffre alleged that Epstein and Maxwell pimped her out to Prince Andrew when she was 17 years old.
The prince, who denied all the allegations against him, reached an out-of-court settlement with her in 2022.
The plea deal included a statement in which he expressed regret for his association with Epstein, but it did not contain an admission of responsibility or an apology.
Đufre said she became a victim of sex trafficking when she was a teenager.
She added that she met Maxwell, a prominent British socialite, in 2000.
After that, she met Epstein, alleging that he and his associates abused her for years.
Epstein took his own life in prison in 2019, where he was awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
He was previously convicted in 2008 for paying for prostitution services to a minor.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in the US for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking and sexual assault.
- Back in court: Weinstein used 'unlimited power' to abuse women, prosecutors claim
- New abuse allegations against writer Neil Gaiman, as well as his ex-wife
- Giselle Pellicault's daughter sues father who is in prison for mass rape
BBC is in Serbian from now on and on YouTube, follow us HERE.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram i Viber. If you have a topic suggestion for us, please contact bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
Bonus video:
