Virginia Roberts Giuffre has filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew, also known as the Duke of York, seeking damages for alleged cases of rape and sexual abuse in Manhattan federal court under the law on child victims.
Giuffre has been one of Jeffrey Epstein's most high-profile accusers, bringing to light the alleged network of child sex trafficking by disgraced financiers.
Now she is asking the court to determine damages for the lasting consequences of the sexual violence, assault and trafficking, she says, that the Queen's second son (and third child) committed against her.
What is Prince Andrew accused of?
“I was trafficked and sexually assaulted by him,” Giuffre said, addressing the trial. “I hold Prince Andrew responsible for what he did to me. The powerful and the rich are not exempt from being held accountable for their actions.
Giuffre has accused Prince Andrew of sexually assaulting her three times as a teenager.
List of allegations made by Virginia Roberts Giuffre against Prince Andrew
Prince Andrew is said to have raped Virginia Giuffre for the first time when she was 17.
Giuffre alleges she first met Prince Andrew, who is currently ninth to the British throne, when she was 17 at a London nightclub. Prince Andrew is now 61 years old.
She said Ghislaine Maxwell - Epstein's alleged accomplice - had recruited her to work for Epstein the previous summer while working at Donald Trump's resort town in Mar-a-Lago.
Giuffre says she was first sexually assaulted by the prince at Maxwell's London home after their night at the club.
She claims Maxwell told her, "He's coming home and I want you to do for him what you do for Epstein." "
A now infamous photo of Giuffre and Prince Andrew with Maxwell was taken on the night of the alleged assault.
In interviews, Giuffre has described in painful detail that he was sexually assaulted by Prince Andrew that night in Maxwell's bathroom and bedroom.
“There was a bath, and he started there and then headed into the bedroom. It didn't last very long, the whole procedure. It was disgusting, ”she said of the alleged encounter.
“He wasn't mean or anything, but he got up and said, 'Thank you' and walked out. I just sat there in the bed just horrified and ashamed and felt dirty. I had to get up and take a shower. "
Virginia Giuffre has said Prince Andrew sexually assaulted her on at least two occasions.
Giuffre alleges that the prince sexually assaulted her on at least two other occasions - once allegedly at Epstein's mansion in New York City and another time on his Caribbean island.
In Netflix's “Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich” docuseries, she dismissed claims in some media that she was a sex worker hired by Epstein, the Prince and others.
Giuffre also alleges that Prince Andrew knew she was a minor victim of sex trafficking when he assaulted her.
“I was not Prince Andrew's prostitute because I was trafficked and I was a child,” she said emphatically.
Prince Andrew denied Giuffre's claims in an interview.
Prince Andrew has always denied Giuffre's claims. In 2019, he gave a disastrous interview refuting the accusations.
He claimed to have "no recollection" of Giuffre, said he was taking his daughter to a pizza party the night of the 2001 incident and asked if the photo taken with Giuffre had been tampered with.
Prince Andrew has also denied his claims he sweated profusely on her while dancing with him in the nightclub.
“There is a slight problem with sweating because I have a particular health problem, which is that I did not sweat at the time,” he said.
Later in 2019, the prince stepped down from public office amid growing outrage over his ties to Epstein.
Will Prince Andrew face criminal charges?
In 2019, then Attorney General William P. Barr said he would lay criminal charges "against anyone who aided Mr. Epstein."
At the time, Prince Andrew was committed to helping investigators in any way he could, but Federal Prosecutor Geoffrey S. Berman revealed the Prince had offered "zero cooperation," but it is out of the question. of criminal proceedings against him.
Since Giuffre's recent filing is a civil lawsuit, the prince cannot be extradited to the United States, and he is under no legal obligation to respond. The case will continue with or without his contribution and involvement.
As Giuffre doubles down on his claims, the world will wait for the Queen's son to respond.
However, from a reputation standpoint, the damage may already be done to Prince Andrew as he continues to hide behind his royal title and the power of the Crown.
Alice Kelly is the news and entertainment editor for YourTango. Based in Brooklyn, New York, her work spans everything related to social justice, pop culture, and the human interest. Follow her Twitter for more.
Comments
Post a Comment