The global movement against sex trafficking has lost a key voice, as Virginia Giuffre, a prominent figure in exposing Jeffrey Epstein’s crimes, has died in Australia at the age of 41.
Virginia Giuffre, one of the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, has committed suicide, her family said on Friday.
Giuffre, 41, died on Friday in Western Australia state, where she had been living for several years, the family said in an emailed statement.
"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 said. "Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure."
Western Australia state police said they received a report late on Friday local time that a 41-year-old woman, whom they did not name, died at a residence in Neergabby, a rural area on Perth's outskirts. Police said first aid was attempted to no avail and that foul play was not suspected.
Giuffre was one of the first people to call for criminal prosecution against Epstein, which he eventually faced. Epstein was charged with sex trafficking in July 2019. Authorities say he committed suicide a few weeks later while imprisoned in New York's Metropolitan Correctional Center.
Epstein's death has ignited controversy for years, with some alleging he was murdered in jail to cover up the exposure of the rich and powerful clients who allegedly were involved in trysts with some 250 underage girls on his island. In 2024, a group of victims filed a lawsuit accusing the FBI of covering up its failure to investigate Epstein.
The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has vowed to release all documents related to the charges against Epstein, including lists of high-profile people associated with him. In February, the "first phase" of documents was released but contained no bombshells.
Giuffre in 2022 settled a lawsuit in which she accused Britain's Prince Andrew of sexually abusing her as a teenager at Epstein's mansion in New York and on Epstein's private Caribbean island, Little St. James.
Several lawsuits and legal cases have been spawned by the accusations against Epstein, including the sex trafficking conviction in New York for British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who was accused of helping Epstein, her former boyfriend, sexually abuse teenage girls. She is serving a 20-year sentence at a prison in Florida.
Georgia and Uzbekistan are aiming to nearly quadruple annual trade to $1 billion, up from $267.6 million in 2025, as the two countries seek to stre...
Iran has warned against the military use of Starlink, saying it has developed domestic technology capable of countering cyber threats linked to the...
Afghanistan has accused Pakistan of blaming Kabul for its domestic political and security problems, as Islamabad repeated claims that militants are...
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a fresh attack on Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said late Monday that it intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthi group toward Khamis Mushait in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
An explosion and fire have been reported at a major underground gas pipeline in Russia’s Penza region on 13 October, according to UA News, as cited by Azerbaijan’s APA news agency. The reports have not been independently verified.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russia hit at least six energy targets in deadly strikes across Ukraine, showing Moscow is unwilling to accept the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Climate activist Greta Thunberg joined high school students protesting outside a school in the Paris suburb of Saint-Denis on Tuesday, as a wave of student demonstrations continues across France.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has visited a newly opened defence museum displaying weapons developed under his leadership, including an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of reaching the United States.
Southeast Asian foreign ministers are set to discuss measures to tackle transboundary haze during preparatory meetings ahead of the ASEAN summit in November, as forest and land fires in Indonesia continue to affect air quality across the region, the Philippines said on Tuesday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment