Virginia Giuffre's crusade against Jeffrey Epstein changed how we listen to survivors
Virginia Giuffre holds a photo of her younger self.
emichot@miamiherald.com
Virginia Giuffre, one of Jeffrey Epstein's most outspoken victims, died by suicide last Friday.
In 2015, Giuffre was the first Epstein victim to go public about the sexual abuse and forced participation in a sex-trafficking ring allegedly led by Epstein and his girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Three years later, Giuffre was featured in 'Perversion of Justice,' a Miami Herald series that revealed how Epstein's lawyers collaborated with the Justice Department to minimize the severity of his crimes, resulting in an 18-month jail sentence.
Giuffre was instrumental in opening the case against Epstein and Maxwell. And last week, she paid the ultimate price.
Giuffre will be remembered not only as Epstein's victim but also as someone who opened the door for other sexual abuse victims to come forward. She showed courage in speaking out and that victims of sexual abuse do not have to remain silent.
As a result of Giuffre and others coming forward, both Epstein and Maxwell were arrested. Epstein would later be found dead in his cell while awaiting trial. His death was ruled a suicide. Maxwell was convicted in 2021 for sex trafficking and other charges. She is serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida prison.
Along with the other Epstein victims, Giuffre fought to expose everyone involved in Epstein's sex trafficking ring. Thanks to her efforts, Giuffre changed the way society and the criminal justice system treats victims of sex crimes, specifically children.
Giuffre was committed to helping other survivors through the creation of her nonprofit, Speak Out, Act, Reclaim (SOAR), which empowers survivors to reclaim their stories and bring an end to sex trafficking.
Her legacy should be the trail she blazed to hold predators accountable and victims are believed. Giuffre made the world an easier place for victims of abuse to speak up because she spoke first.
The courage exhibited by Giuffre extends beyond the Epstein case. In 2021, she sued Prince Andrew, Duke of York, for sexually assaulting her after Epstein and Maxwell forced her to have sex with him.
Giuffre's case against Prince Andrew, which resulted in a settlement, showed she was willing to take on institutions and powerful people to ensure justice. Shortly before the lawsuit, Andrew was stripped of his military titles, royal patronages, and the use of the title His Royal Highness.
Regardless of status or wealth no one is above the law nor should they be shielded from accountability.
Since coming forward, there have been attempts to discredit her, question her motives, attack her character and minimize her trauma. For survivors of sexual abuse, these tactics are familiar. Nevertheless, Giuffre didn't back down and recognized the importance of her voice.
The tragic ending to Giuffre's life serves as a sobering reminder that despite her strength and resilience, she faced struggles no one else knew about.
Giuffre should be remembered for the work she did to bring justice for her and the other Epstein victims. Her courageous legacy to hold people accountable will be remembered for years to come.
If you are considering self-harm, you can call or text the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Click here to send the letter.
BEHIND THE STORY MORE What's an editorial?
Editorials are opinion pieces that reflect the views of the Miami Herald Editorial Board, a group of opinion journalists that operates separately from the Miami Herald newsroom. Miami Herald Editorial Board members are: opinion editor Amy Driscoll and editorial writers Luisa Yanez and Isadora Rangel. Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right. What's the difference between an op-ed and a column?
Op-Eds, short for 'opposite the editorial page,' are opinion pieces written by contributors who are not affiliated with our Editorial Board.
Columns are recurring opinion pieces that represent the views of staff columnists that regularly appear on the op-ed page. How does the Miami Herald Editorial Board decide what to write about?
The Editorial Board, made up of experienced opinion journalists, primarily addresses local and state issues that affect South Florida residents. Each board member has an area of focus, such as education, COVID or local government policy. Board members meet daily and bring up an array of topics for discussion. Once a topic is fully discussed, board members will further report the issue, interviewing stakeholders and others involved and affected, so that the board can present the most informed opinion possible. We strive to provide our community with thought leadership that advocates for policies and priorities that strengthen our communities. Our editorials promote social justice, fairness in economic, educational and social opportunities and an end to systemic racism and inequality. The Editorial Board is separate from the reporters and editors of the Miami Herald newsroom. How can I contribute to the Miami Herald Opinion section?
The Editorial Board accepts op-ed submissions of 650-700 words from community members who want to argue a specific viewpoint or idea that is relevant to our area. You can email an op-ed submission to oped@miamiherald.com. We also accept 150-word letters to the editor from readers who want to offer their points of view on current issues. For more information on how to submit a letter, go here.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
26 minutes ago
- Axios
Trump admin rescinds Carter‑era DEI mandates for federal hiring
The Trump administration said Friday it will end a court-imposed decree initiated by the Carter administration that eliminated a test for federal job applicants and imposed diversity hiring requirements for federal agencies. Why it matters: The move follows the administration's dramatic change to the government's interpretation of Civil Rights-era laws to focus on " anti-white racism" rather than discrimination against people of color. Driving the news: The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division said it will eliminate a decree from Luevano v. Ezell, a case brought on by Black and Hispanic job applicants alleging discrimination. The DOJ said that the decree "limited the hiring practices of the federal government based on flawed and outdated theories of diversity, equity, and inclusion." It said the decree entered in 1981 "imposed draconian test review and implementation procedures" on the Office of Personnel Management. What they're saying:"For over four decades, this decree has hampered the federal government from hiring the top talent of our nation," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said in a statement. "Today, the Justice Department removed that barrier and reopened federal employment opportunities based on merit—not race." U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro used the quote "by the content of their character" from the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in a statement to justify the move. Reality check: The Luevano case sought to remedy decades of discrimination against Black and Hispanic job applicants who had been denied employment based on their racial background. The case ultimately settled in a 1981 consent decree, under which the federal government agreed to eliminate a test and establish two special hiring programs, Outstanding Scholar and Bilingual/Bicultural. The decree was in place for 45 years. Zoom out: The DOJ move comes days after it released new guidelines for recipients of federal funding and directed them not to be involved in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ("DEI") programs. The guidelines say that federal anti-discrimination laws apply to DEI programs and initiatives since they involve "discriminatory practices." The guidelines could have sweeping effects, possibly forcing universities to end ethnic studies programs, media companies to stop paying for staffers to attend journalists of color conferences or nonprofits to cease programs studying health disparities. Context: Since taking office, Trump has attempted to reverse many of the gains made during the Civil Rights Movement and unravel the late President Lyndon B. Johnson's civil rights legacy from six decades ago. Within hours of taking office, Trump revoked LBJ's 1965 executive order mandating "equal opportunity" for people of color and women in the recruitment, hiring and training of federal contractors. Between the lines: The moves fulfill a promise that Trump campaign allies told Axios about before the election: that the president would push to eliminate or upend programs in government and corporate America that are designed to counter racism against Black Americans and other people of color.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
White House monitors coverage of Epstein controversy and can't make it disappear
President Donald Trump has begged his base to stop thinking about Jeffrey Epstein. But 25 days after his Justice Department declared it had nothing more to say on the convicted sex offender, the drumbeat for action continues. Some officials acknowledge, at least privately, that the administration will have to release more information on Epstein in an attempt to quiet accusations of a coverup. Administration officials told CNN that they believe the best antidote to the intense public interest in Epstein is time. But they also acknowledge that without the release of more tangible details, the attention may never fully subside. 'Either we release more documents and it's a confirmation of suspicions, or there is some gap between what people think and what we actually have,' a White House official said. 'And you have to address it directly.' The White House has been intensely monitoring cable news and media coverage of the controversy, sources said. Since Attorney General Pam Bondi sparked public uproar by declaring that Epstein's so-called 'client list' doesn't exist, the administration has scrambled to quell the outrage by moving to interview Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell and release sealed grand jury transcripts related to both her and Epstein's criminal cases. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking and is likely one of the only living people who could shed more light on the extent of Epstein's crimes, was moved from her Florida prison to a lower-security facility in Texas on Friday. The Justice Department has not said why Maxwell was transferred. Nor has Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said anything about his two days of closed-door meetings with Maxwell, aside from promising in a statement that the DOJ would share more information about what they learned 'at the appropriate time.' Trump has not been accused of legal wrongdoing related to Epstein. The White House acknowledged but did not provide a response to a request for comment on this story. The story's staying power has partly been an issue of the president's own making. Trump is clearly frustrated by reporters who have him asked Epstein-related questions, but the small snippets of responses he does give — such as saying this week that he fell out with Epstein after the financier 'stole' a young woman, Virginia Giuffre, from working at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort — only serve to reignite the public interest and sow further questions about what Trump knew about Epstein and when. That statement shocked the family of Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. 'She wasn't stolen, she was preyed upon at his property, at President Trump's property,' Giuffre's brother Sky Roberts told CNN. A Trump administration official acknowledged the president's statements have been unhelpful in tamping down the Epstein-related furor but added they are just manifestations of his intense anger about the situation. The posture within the administration, officials said, has been to reassure the public that it is still committed to sharing more information that has been collected and reviewed by the Justice Department. But that could present another dilemma for the administration: any document dump would likely require extensive redactions to protect the identities of children who were victims of Epstein's crimes. And pages full of black ink may serve only to raise the specter of a coverup, administration officials said. The administration is also being careful not to repeat history by overpromising, which would further upset the many high-profile figures in the president's base who have expressed their frustration over the issue. 'The frenzy and criticism we saw has abated somewhat since the first two weeks. That's in large part thanks to the administration making clear this isn't cased closed like they initially said,' a person close to Trump told CNN. 'But the idea that this can be buried, or will go away thanks to some bigger news story, is a fantasy,' this person said. 'Even if a news story sucks up the oxygen for a time, it will pop up again. It won't die until people get some real answers.' Friday was a prime example of the issue popping back up with Maxwell's surprise transfer. And there will be more court filings next week. In theory, August could bring some relief to an aspect of the Epstein news cycle with Congress on recess for the month, limiting actions from Democrats to force Republicans to take a public stand on the matter. And an attempt by House Republicans to interview Maxwell has failed for now. Maxwell made a list of demands, including requesting immunity and to be provided with a list of questions in advance. The House Oversight Committee on Friday rejected those demands. It did agree, however, to delay any deposition until after the Supreme Court weighs her pending appeal, which won't happen until the end of September. Meanwhile, while officials believe Trump's directive to Bondi to move to unseal grand jury transcripts related to the investigations of Epstein and Maxwell, as well as the Justice Department's interview of Maxwell in prison, are steps in the right direction, multiple people inside and outside of the administration maintain there's still recognition that the fury around Epstein will not abide until more substantial material is released. The limits of that information are well-established. For instance, the grand jury transcripts the Justice Department is asking to unseal from its investigation include testimony from only two witnesses, both law enforcement officials, according to a DOJ memo submitted this week. In an order Thursday evening, federal Judge Richard Berman asked for more information from the government regarding their motion to unseal grand jury transcripts from Epstein's case. Berman made several requests, including verifying the dates of all grand jury presentations in the case, providing exhibits shown to grand jurors and stating whether the government wants exhibits unsealed in addition to transcripts. Those answers are due Monday. Tuesday, meanwhile, is the deadline for Epstein's victims and Maxwell to respond to the DOJ's request to release grand jury files. The judge then has pledged to rule quickly. In the White House's version of a perfect world, the American people would be celebrating Trump's trade war successes, the record-low number of migrants crossing the southern border or the renewal of a society that is being shaped to the president's expansive vision. That may happen, but the Epstein story will remain no matter what. 'There is an acknowledgement that this isn't just going to go away,' one White House official told CNN. CNN's Annie Grayer and Casey Gannon contributed to this report.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
GOP senator sends warning to Cincinnati after mob attack amid FBI, DOJ probe
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, joins 'Fox & Friends' to discuss the FBI and Justice Department investigating the Cincinnati street attack after three arrests and a total of five people charged.
