Virginia Giuffre remembered as 'fierce warrior against sexual abuse'

Virginia Giuffre, a notable figure in the fight against sexual abuse and trafficking, has been remembered by her family as a 'fierce warrior' following her tragic death at the age of 41. Born Virginia Roberts in California in 1983, she moved to Florida with her family during her childhood. At the tender age of seven, Virginia reported being sexually abused by a family friend, which led to a tumultuous childhood spent in and out of foster care. In 2000, while working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, she met Ghislaine Maxwell, a British socialite who offered her an opportunity to train as a massage therapist. However, this meeting marked the beginning of a harrowing chapter in her life, as it led her to Jeffrey Epstein, a financier who would subject her to years of abuse. Virginia recounted that what she thought was a job interview turned into a nightmare, as she was taken on private jets around the world and abused by Epstein, who 'passed her around like a platter of fruit' to his associates. In 2001, at the age of 17, she was taken to London by Epstein, where she claimed she was sexually abused by Prince Andrew on three occasions. The prince has denied all allegations against him but reached an out-of-court settlement with Virginia in 2022, which included no admission of guilt or apology. Virginia later revealed that Epstein lost interest in her when she turned 19, as she was considered too old for him. She managed to persuade him to fund her training to become a professional masseuse, which included a trip to Thailand. However, during this trip, she met a man named Robert, fell in love, and married him just ten days later. They eventually moved to Australia, where they had three children: Christian, Noah, and Emily. Unfortunately, their marriage faced challenges and eventually ended. On February 2, Virginia was reported to have breached a family violence restraining order in Ocean Reef, where she lived. On March 22, she shared a heartfelt message on Instagram, expressing her love for her children and the pain she felt from lies being told about her. She mentioned that she had endured many hardships in her life, but this situation was particularly painful. Just over a week later, she posted again, stating that she was recovering in the hospital after a serious car accident and had 'four days to live. ' However, Western Australia Police later clarified that the crash was minor, involving a school bus and a car, with no reported injuries. In 2019, Virginia had called for support from the British public during an interview with BBC Panorama. She was living on a farm in Neergabby, where she was found dead. Her family released a statement confirming her death by suicide, expressing their heartbreak and describing her as a 'fierce warrior' who had been a beacon of hope for many survivors. They emphasized that her children were the light of her life and that she had realized she needed to fight back against those who had abused her. Virginia's representative, Dini von Mueffling, praised her as an extraordinary person who was deeply loving, wise, and funny. If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of distress or despair, there are resources available for support in both the UK and the US.