Virginia Roberts Giuffre was trafficked to Prince Andrew at the age of 17 and now advocates for survivors of sex trafficking. Following a difficult childhood and being homeless, she began working at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and was approached by Ghislaine Maxwell to become a trainee massage therapist for Jeffrey Epstein. She claimed that Epstein and Maxwell forced her to have sex with powerful friends, including Prince Andrew, on multiple occasions in 2001. Prince Andrew has denied these allegations and in 2019, claimed he had never met Giuffre, despite photographic evidence. However, in February 2022 he settled a civil sexual assault case brought against him by Giuffre.
After her experiences with Epstein, Giuffre built a different life for herself, marrying an Australian martial arts expert and having three children. They live in a luxurious home in Western Australia, possibly funded by previous settlements related to Epstein and Maxwell. Giuffre continues to struggle with trauma from her past, experiencing nightmares and vivid memories of the abuse she endured. In 2022, Giuffre shared a statement at Maxwell’s trial, expressing the pain that was inflicted on her and the lifelong impact it has had. She has also opened up about the effect the trial had on her children, advocating for educating teenagers about sex trafficking to prevent similar experiences.
Giuffre founded a non-profit organization called Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR) to empower survivors and end sex trafficking. In June 2022, Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to twenty years in prison after being found guilty of sex trafficking. Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted pedophile, died in 2019. Prince Andrew’s dispute with Giuffre led to the settlement of her case against him, with no admission of guilt on his part. Despite the challenges she has faced, Giuffre continues to push for justice and support for survivors of sex trafficking. The Netflix drama Scoop dramatizes the events surrounding Giuffre’s experiences and advocacy work.
