The family of Virginia Giuffre has paid heartfelt tributes and initiated a fundraiser to establish a public memorial for the woman known as Prince Andrew’s sex abuse accuser.
It comes just days after Giuffre was tragically found dead at her remote farmhouse, an hour north of Perth, on April 25 after years of torment.
Her family confirmed her death and said she had been a “lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking”.
They have now launched a fundraiser on GoFundMe to build a public memorial for Giuffre, Jeffrey Epstein’s most prominent victim.
They say the brave soul deserves to have a “permanent mark in this world.”
They said: “It is imperative that we find a way to leave her mark as a legacy.
“Virginia, through her courage and testimony, managed to secure settlements, but tragically, as many may be aware, accessing these funds and estates can take years to resolve,” they stated.
“While her estate is being settled in Australia, her family in America is dedicated to memorialising and celebrating her spirit.
“With this fund, we aim to create a public memorial, providing a space not just for family, but for survivors and supporters globally to visit and connect with Virginia’s legacy.”
“She deserves to have a permanent mark in this world that demonstrates her lasting impact.
The heartfelt statement thanked wellwishers for the “outpouring of love and support” in the wake of Ms Giuffre’s death.
It went on: “We know Virginia was not just a bright light to us but to many.
“The lives she touched, the strength, and the fight she has given us will live with us always.
“Though our family and many are experiencing an immeasurable sense of grief, we know that this will make us stronger – that is what Virginia would have wanted.”
They also pledged to continue Ms Giuffre’s fight for a change in the law to protect victims of sexual abuse and prevent predators from escaping justice.
The family vowed to take on her mission “with all our heart and soul”
The tragic tributes come after Giuffre’s sudden death in April, which opened a Pandora’s Box of unanswered questions.
She was the most prominent victim of the notorious Epstein was found dead by police before her family revealed she had died by suicide.
She said she was trafficked to the Royal by Epstein and his madam, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell.
Mum-of-three Virginia, who was estranged from her husband Robert, had also accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse on three occasions, including when she was just 17.
The Royal denied the allegations and claimed to have never met Virginia.
But a photograph appearing to show them together in a London townhouse – his arm around her bare midriff – was included in her lawsuit against him.
On February 15, 2022, it was announced that Prince Andrew had settled the lawsuit, sparing him a humiliating court battle.
He was later stripped of his royal roles and banished from public duty in disgrace.
Epstein was later found dead in his prison cell in August 2019 whilst Maxwell is serving time behind bars in the US for her role.
Prince Andrew’s multi-million pound settlement with his sex abuse accuser has been frozen in the wake of her tragic suicide.
Who was Virginia Giuffre?
VIRGINIA Roberts – later Virginia Giuffre, 41, was an American-Australian campaigner and a prominent victim of the sex trafficking ring of Jeffrey Epstein.
She made claims against Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, as well as Brit socialite Ghislaine Maxwell – Jeffrey Epstein’s ex-lover.
Giuffre alleged in court documents that she was procured by Maxwell, 63, the daughter of disgraced tycoon Robert Maxwell, as a teenage “sex slave” for Epstein.
She released a manuscript just hours before Epstein’s death, which added to more than 2,000 documents of a lawsuit pending against the former financier and his pals.
The legal documents were released in a defamation case involving Giuffre, who has claimed in court documents that Prince Andrew slept with her three times.
In 2019, Virginia Roberts claimed that she had sex with Prince Andrew in a toilet when she was 17, after a night where he had allegedly been plying her with vodka in a posh London club.
On February 15, 2022, it was announced that Prince Andrew settled the lawsuit – sparing him a humiliating court battle.
The outcast Royal, 65, paid Virginia Giuffre a reputed £12million after agreeing an out-of-court deal in 2022.
The payout has now been blocked amid fears of a battle for her estate involving her estranged husband and US-based family.
Her grief-stricken relatives said it could “take years to settle” as they launched a GoFundMe drive to raise £10,000 for a lasting memorial in her honour.
Giuffre’s courage in speaking out inspired countless victims of abuse to speak out against their tormentors.
But many aspects of Virginia’s life remain clouded in mystery – from the truth about her alleged interactions with Andrew, to what actually caused her injuries, and the circumstances around her death.
A harrowing letter written by Giuffre was released by her family after they insisted: “Her voice will not be silenced.”
The scrawled handwritten note was made public by relatives just days after she was found dead at her farmhouse in Perth.
The letter reads: “Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, and Brothers need to show the battle lines are drawn, and stand together to fight for the future of victims.
“Is protesting the answer?
“I don’t know. But we’ve got to start somewhere.”
The letter was posted online by her distraught sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, who vowed to carry on her legacy in the wake of her apparent suicide.
Meanwhile, dad Sky Roberts said that he “couldn’t believe” Virginia Giuffre had died by suicide, emphasising that there was “no way” it was true.
He insisted: “Somebody got to her.”
Roberts told Piers Morgan Uncensored: “Well, first of all, I couldn’t even believe it. I mean, I started crying right away.
“I’m still crying. I can’t believe that this is happening. It just, it’s impossible.”
His comments echoed that of Ms Giuffre’s Australia-based lawyer, Karrie Louden, who said there were “big question marks” over her death.
She said Ms Giuffre was looking to the future, making plans and showing “no signs” of wanting to end her life in the days and weeks before last week’s tragedy.
An investigation by major crime cops Down Under and the local coroner in Perth has already begun.
The mystery deepened after a 2019 tweet written by Virginia resurfaced in which she said: “I am making it publicly known that in no way, shape or form am I suicidal.
“If something happens to me…do not let this go away. Too many evil people want to see me quieted.”
You’re Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why The Sun launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
