Western Australian police have agreed to review how they interacted with Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, in the lead-up to her death by suicide last year.
Family Requests Investigation
Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, told ABC radio on Wednesday that they had written to both the state coroner and police requesting an investigation into how police handled a domestic violence dispute Giuffre was involved in before she took her life on her WA farm last April at age 41. Giuffre, an American who had lived in Australia for years, was involved in a dispute with a former partner.
Police Commissioner Confirms Review
Police Commissioner Col Blanch confirmed in a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday that police had received a letter from Giuffre's family and were conducting a review. He said he did not yet know how police responded to Giuffre's case, noting police "respond to over 100,000 family violence incidents every year," but had requested the review to find out. "The coroner can also choose to do an investigation, as could the ombudsman," he said.
Family Seeks Answers on Internal Failures
Sky and Amanda Roberts said they were not questioning the circumstances surrounding her death or disputing that she died by suicide, but wanted to know if there were any "internal failures" before her death. "We're really asking for a thorough review of the process [about] what happened when Virginia went to the police station on multiple occasions," Amanda said. "Where [are] those reports, and why did the police not continue to follow up? There's a lot of things that happened before Virginia ultimately made that decision."
Support from Researchers and Practitioners
Amanda said the coroner's court had responded with condolences to their request for an investigation but had not yet committed to a formal review. A number of researchers and practitioners from Australian universities and family violence organisations supported the family's plea and also wrote to the coroner asking for an inquest, arguing the case raised broader issues around domestic and family violence. Sky said he appreciated the group's efforts and their recognition that "this is entirely way too common" and such an investigation could help "thousands." "That's what Virginia would want … a thorough investigation into the [systemic] failures in Australia, here in the United States, across the UK," Sky said. "I wholeheartedly believe that if the police had done a thorough investigation, that Virginia would still be here."
Giuffre's History as Epstein Victim
Giuffre was one of the most vocal victims of Epstein. She alleged she had been groomed and sexually abused by him and his longtime associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, beginning in her teens. She also alleged she had been sexually trafficked to Prince Andrew. In a 2009 civil lawsuit against Epstein, under the pseudonym Jane Doe 102, she alleged that her duties included being "sexually exploited by Epstein's adult male peers including royalty." Giuffre reached a settlement with Epstein in that case before it went to trial. In 2021, Giuffre filed a civil lawsuit against Prince Andrew in federal court in New York, alleging he had sexually assaulted her on three occasions when she was 17. Andrew has repeatedly and strongly denied the accusations. In 2022, Andrew and Giuffre agreed to an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed sum. Maxwell, who has maintained her innocence, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2022 for sex trafficking.
Estate and Support Services
An interim administrator was appointed to oversee Giuffre's estate after she died without a valid will, triggering competing claims, including by her sons, Christian, 19, and Noah, 18. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org.
