The family of Virginia Giuffre, who was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein as a teen, have released a statement following her death by suicide.
‘Giuffre lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,’ her family stated.
‘Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure. The light of her life were her children Christian, Noah, and Emily.
‘It was when she held her newborn daughter in her arms that Virginia realized she had to fight back against those who had abused her and so many others,’ the statement read.
‘There are no words that can express the grave loss we feel today with the passing of our sweet Virginia. She was heroic and will always be remembered for her incredible courage and loving spirit. In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight. We know that she is with the angels.’
Her lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, also paid tribute to the 41-year-old.
‘Virginia was much more than a client to me; she was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims,’ Giuffre’s attorney said.
‘Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring. The world has lost an amazing human being today. Rest in peace, my sweet angel.’
Virginia Giuffre is seen alongside her brother, Danny Wilson, right
Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, when she says she was abused by Jeffrey Epstein
Giuffre claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein’s associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17. She is seen here alongside the two
Giuffre claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew at the behest of Epstein’s associate, jailed British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, when she was just 17.
The Duke of York denied the allegation, as has Maxwell – who is a convicted sex offender – while Epstein died in a New York prison in 2019.
She filed a federal lawsuit against Andrew in 2021 which he agreed to settle for an undisclosed fee in 2022. He has denied ever having sex with her.
