Giuffre has died by suicide, according to a statement from her family.
Virginia Giuffre, the woman who had accused the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, has died by suicide, her family said in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE.
According to her family, Giuffre died on Thursday, April 24, in Neergabby, Australia, where she had lived for the past several years.
“Giuffre lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking,” her family said. “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.”
The statement continued, “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. 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 became so heavy that it was unbearable for Virginia to carry its weight. We know that she is with the angels.”
Similarly, attorney Sigrid McCawley remembered her, saying, “Virginia was much more than a client to me; she was a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims. 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.”
Throughout her life, Giuffre was outspoken about the abuse she endured. In 2000, at just 16 years old, she was recruited by Ghislaine Maxwell to work for Epstein.
According to Giuffre, both Maxwell and Epstein groomed her and forced her to have sex with Epstein and others as part of an elaborate sex ring. However, she was able to escape in 2002. Epstein later died by suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex trafficking charges in a New York City jail.
In addition, Giuffre claimed that Epstein and Maxwell trafficked her to wealthy and powerful men, including Prince Andrew, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. (Meanwhile, Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being convicted of child sex trafficking in 2021 in connection with Epstein, though not specifically with Prince Andrew.)
Following Maxwell’s verdict, Giuffre shared her reaction on X, saying, “My soul yearned for justice for years and today the jury gave me just that. I will remember this day always. Having lived with the horrors of Maxwell’s abuse, my heart goes out to the many other girls and young women who suffered at her hands and whose lives she destroyed.”
(Notably, Giuffre was not included in the trial against Maxwell.)
Giuffre continued, “I hope that today is not the end but rather another step toward justice being served. Maxwell did not act alone. Others must be held accountable. I have faith that they will be.”
In 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew in New York, claiming the royal forced her to have sex with him three times between 1999 and 2002 — in London, New York, and on a private Caribbean island owned by Epstein.
In an earlier statement shared with PEOPLE, Giuffre said, “I am holding Prince Andrew accountable for what he did to me. The powerful and rich are not exempt from being held responsible for their actions. I hope that other victims will see that it is possible not to live in silence and fear, but to reclaim one’s life by speaking out and demanding justice.”
Ultimately, the two reached an out-of-court settlement in February 2022. The amount was not disclosed.
In a 2019 Panorama interview, Giuffre recounted being brought to London by Epstein in 2001. During that trip, she said she was introduced to Prince Andrew and taken to Tramp nightclub along with Epstein and Maxwell. There, she claimed, the prince got her a drink and asked her to dance in a VIP section.
“[Prince Andrew] is the most hideous dancer I’ve ever seen in my life,” Giuffre recalled. “I mean, it was horrible, and this guy was sweating all over me, like his sweat was basically raining everywhere. I was just grossed out from it, but I knew I had to keep him happy because that’s what Jeffrey and Ghislaine would have expected from me.”
Prince Andrew, however, defended himself during a 2019 BBC interview. He said, “I have no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever. It just never happened.”
Moreover, he disputed Giuffre’s allegations by claiming that he wouldn’t have known where the bar was to get her a drink and that he had a medical condition preventing him from sweating.
Additionally, the prince suggested that a photograph of him with Giuffre, where he had his arm around her waist, was doctored. However, Giuffre told the BBC that the photo is genuine and that she had provided the original to the FBI in 2011.
Following public backlash from the interview, Prince Andrew announced he would be “stepping back” from his public duties.
Afterward, Giuffre founded Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR), a nonprofit organization offering support for survivors of sexual assault.
In honoring her memory, Giuffre’s representative, Dini von Mueffling, shared, “Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honor to know. Deeply loving, wise, and funny, she was a beacon to other survivors and victims. She adored her children and her many animals. She was always more concerned with me than with herself. I will miss her beyond words. It was the privilege of a lifetime to represent her.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit rainn.org.
