Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life at the age of 41, "never regretted speaking out" despite facing "enormous pressure" as a prominent accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, according to people who were close to her.
Her family announced her death in the early hours of Saturday, saying she had taken her life at her home in Neergabby, Western Australia.
The family statement said: "She lost her life to suicide after being a lifelong victim of sexual abuse and sex trafficking."
Giuffre was one of the most prominent accusers of Jeffrey Epstein, the late American paedophile financier, and his British ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell.
Virginia Giuffre 'never regretted speaking out' despite facing 'enormous pressure' as a prominent accuser of Jeffrey Epstein, according to people who were close to her
REUTERSShe claimed she was trafficked across the world and forced to have sex with the Duke of York on three separate occasions, including when she was 17 at Maxwell's home in London.
Prince Andrew has always denied the allegations.
In 2022, he settled a civil case brought against him by Giuffre in New York for an undisclosed fee without admitting any liability.
Annie Farmer, a fellow victim of Epstein, told The Telegraph that the case against Prince Andrew was "tremendously hard" for Giuffre.
Virginia Giuffre (right) photographed at an event in 2019GettyFarmer said: "I just know that being involved in this case has been an enormous amount of pressure for her.
"While there were so many really supportive responses, there've been those people that have just been really vicious towards her."
Giuffre's publicist, Dini von Mueffling, told the Times she "suffered a number of physical injuries in the last years of her life" and "with extreme pain comes depression".
Von Mueffling described Giuffre as "highly intelligent, deeply loving and incredibly strong".
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A photograph that claims to show Prince Andrew meeting Virginia Giuffre several years agoGettyShe said: "When she held her newborn daughter, she realised: 'I've got to go after these people, to protect girls like her.'"
Sigrid McCawley, Giuffre's long-term lawyer and friend, called her "a champion fighting against the evils of sex trafficking in the face of so much adversity".
McCawley said: "She worked hard not only to do that for herself, but for so many others too."
Her family said: "In the end, the toll of abuse is so heavy that it became unbearable for Virginia to handle its weight."
Anyone who is in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide can call the Samaritans anonymously for free from a UK phone on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.
