Sex trafficking survivor Virginia Giuffre, 41, has been found dead at her farm in Western Australia. The 41-year-old mum-of-three children was one of the most outspoken accusers of convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and his former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. She alleged they trafficked her to the Duke of York when she was 17 years old – a claim which Prince Andrew has vehemently denied.
While we will never know why Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein’s accuser took her own life last night (May 25), the sad truth is that victims of sexual abuse, especially those who suffered as children, are more likely to take their own lives.
Dr Joanna Silver told The Mirror that while every person’s experience is unique, sexual abuse in childhood can have a significant impact on a person’s physical and emotional health and can leave invisible wounds.
“Unwanted experiences at a young age can be deeply confusing for a child and difficult to process,” she says. “Many survivors report feeling that they are ‘dirty’ ‘wrong’ and somehow to blame but this is not the case. Such experiences can make it difficult for people to form meaningful, healthy relationships with others, as there can be a fear of trust, intimacy and closeness – this can lead to feelings of anger, isolation and loneliness. And being exposed to inappropriate experiences can make it difficult to uphold boundaries with others, which may lead to a belief that sex is a way to seek validation and build self-esteem. This can leave people feeling that the world is unsafe and that people will hurt them.”
Born Virginia Louise Roberts in 1983 in Sacramento, California, she endured a childhood wrecked by abuse and instability. She has spoken openly about being sexually abused by a man trusted by her family at a young age, causing her to run away from home multiple times, putting her in harm’s way of predators.
At just 16 years of age, while working as a locker room attendant at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2000, she met Ghislaine Maxwell, the glamorous British socialite and close associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Maxwell offered Virginia what seemed to be a life-changing opportunity: a job learning massage therapy for a wealthy benefactor.
The expert added: “Unfortunately, the intense feelings of shame and disgust mean that many people do not feel able to speak about their experiences and use unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drugs, alcohol and self-harm to numb feelings. Sadly, there is a large link between childhood sexual abuse and mental health problems, as often people feel overwhelmed and do not have access to support and healthy coping mechanisms.
“Some people who have been sexually abused may restrict or binge and purge food in order to manage emotions, punish themselves, and change their bodies.
“PTSD symptoms, which include nightmares, flashbacks and intrusive thoughts, are common. Often survivors will try to avoid thinking about their trauma, but can be easily triggered by sensory and situational stimuli such as smells, sounds, environments and old feelings of fear and helplessness.
“Such triggers can result in the person experiencing a frightening fight-or-flight response and feeling unsafe. Past traumas can also be activated by important life events such as starting a new relationship, giving birth and losing a loved one.”
She continued: “Sexual abuse also impacts people physically as the body ‘remembers’ traumatic experiences and survivors often report symptoms of insomnia, pain and stomach issues.
“Although sexual abuse can have devastating effects, healing is possible and requires time, meaningful support and compassion. Survivors can learn to build trust in others, understand that what happened was not their fault and reclaim ownership over their body and life.”
If you’ve been a victim of sexual abuse, you can contact The Survivors Trust https://thesurvivorstrust.org/
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