Virginia Giuffre, a leading voice among survivors of Jeffrey Epstein's sexual abuse network, has died by suicide at the age of 41, her family confirmed on Friday.
Giuffre passed away at her home in Neergabby, Australia, where she had been living for several years with her husband and three children.
"It is with utterly broken hearts that we announce that Virginia passed away last night at her farm in Western Australia," her family said in a statement to NBC News. "She lost her life to suicide, after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking."
Giuffre emerged as one of the earliest and most vocal advocates seeking justice against Epstein and his associates. Her courage inspired numerous other survivors to come forward.
"Virginia was a fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse and sex trafficking. She was the light that lifted so many survivors," the family statement continued. "In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight."
Born and raised primarily in Florida, Giuffre experienced childhood abuse that led to periods of homelessness as a teenager. While attempting to rebuild her life, she encountered Ghislaine Maxwell, who groomed her for abuse by Epstein from 1999 to 2002, according to Giuffre's accounts. She also alleged that Epstein trafficked her to powerful figures, including Prince Andrew and French modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.
Her brother, Danny Wilson, reflected on her determination, telling NBC News she "pushed so hard to snuff the evil out" of the world.
"Her biggest push was, 'If I don't do this, nobody's going to do it,'" he said regarding her advocacy. "She was in real physical pain — suffered from renal failure. But I think that the mental pain was worse."
Giuffre's testimony provided crucial evidence in investigations that led to Ghislaine Maxwell's 2021 conviction on five counts of sex trafficking. Maxwell is currently serving her sentence for recruiting young girls for Epstein's abuse.
In 2021, Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew, alleging he sexually abused her when she was 17. The case concluded with an undisclosed settlement in 2022, though Andrew consistently denied the allegations and had stepped back from royal duties amid the controversy.
That same year, she testified against Jean-Luc Brunel in Paris. After her testimony, Giuffre stated: "I wanted Brunel to know that he no longer has the power over me, that I am a grown woman now and I've decided to hold him accountable for what he did to me and so many others."
Brunel, who had been charged with sexual harassment and rape of a minor, died by suicide in his jail cell in February 2022. Epstein had similarly died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The Epstein case received renewed public attention during the recent presidential election. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi released Epstein-related files to media outlets and then to the public. Despite containing mostly previously known information, multiple victims said that concerns about potential disclosure of sensitive information had caused significant distress.
Those close to Giuffre remembered her fighting spirit. Her representative, Dini von Mueffling, said, "Virginia was one of the most extraordinary human beings I have ever had the honour to know."
Her lawyer, Sigrid McCawley, described Giuffre as "a dear friend and an incredible champion for other victims," adding that "Her courage pushed me to fight harder, and her strength was awe-inspiring."
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