A victim of Jeffrey Epstein denounced Prince Andrew of England for sexual abuse

08/09/2021 8:58 PM

• Clarín.com

• World

Updated 08/09/2021 8:58 PM

Virginia Giuffre

, one of the victims of the American businessman accused of child sex trafficking, Jeffrey Epstein, filed a

civil lawsuit

in New York against

Prince Andrew of England

, accusing him of 

abusing her

when

she

was a minor.

"Today my lawyer filed a lawsuit against Prince Andrew for sexual abuse under the Child Victims Act. As the lawsuit explains in detail,

I was trafficked to him and sexually abused by him

," Giuffre said in statements to the American magazine People.

In 2019, Giuffre already assured that, after being presented by Epstein to the Duke of York, the latter

forced her to have sex three times

between 1999 and 2002, when she was a minor, something that the son of Queen Elizabeth II

has flatly denied

.

Prince Andrew and Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the complainant, during a party when she was a minor.

/ (Twitter)

The victim, however, assured this Monday that he wants to hold Prince Andrew responsible, and send the message that the "rich and powerful are not exempt" from being held accountable in court.

"I hope that other victims see that it

is possible not to live in silence and fear

, but to recover your life by speaking publicly and demanding justice," he added.

Giuffre also pointed out that it was not easy to decide to file the lawsuit, since as a mother and wife his family "comes first", and he fears being targeted by a member of the British royal family.

Virginia Giuffre, this Monday, during a conference held when leaving the Manhattan court.

Photo: AP

"But he knew that if he did not take this action, he would disappoint them and all the victims," ​​he added.

After being publicly accused by Giuffre of having abused her as a result of being trafficked by Epstein, Prince Andrew of England "categorically" denied having had sexual relations with her in a notorious interview with the BBC network released in November 2019.

Jeffrey Epstein committed suicide in prison before he tried against him for abuse and trafficking of women.

Photo: AP

"It did not happen. I can tell you categorically that it never happened. I do not remember ever having met this lady," the prince insisted several times in his statements to the BBC.

The prince, whose friendship with Epstein has caused great controversy, admitted to having stayed several times - about four - at the businessman's residences in the United States but said that at no time did he suspect inappropriate behavior on the part of the businessman, who He committed suicide in a cell in New York in August 2019 shortly after being arrested for sex trafficking.

Andrés said he met Epstein through his friend

Ghislaine Maxwell

, daughter of the late media mogul Robert Maxwell, who has also been arrested and is awaiting trial in New York scheduled for November this year, when he will face to various charges, among which those of sex trafficking stand out.

Prince Andrew had denied the allegations in an interview when they were made public.

Photo: AP

When asked in the interview about a photo made public in which

he appears clutching Giuffre's waist

, allegedly taken at Maxwell's London residence in March 2011, when the applicant was 17 years old, the Duke stated that he did not I remembered that moment.

With the lawsuit, the Duke of York could be forced to be questioned under oath, as well as deliver text messages, emails or private letters related to the case.

Compensation

Meanwhile, a fund created to provide money to Epstein victims announced Monday that it largely completed its work after agreeing to deliver

nearly $ 125 million to more than 135 people

.

The announcement was made by Jordana Feldman, the administrator of Epstein's Victim Compensation Program, which since late June last year has operated independently of the financier's estate.

Dozens of women have claimed that for decades, Epstein sexually abused teenagers and women, often turning massages into sexual assaults.

Feldman said

92% of the 150 eligible applicants

accepted what the fund offered, after receiving 225 applications, many more than the roughly 100 expected based on the number of women who had sued and spoken with attorneys. .

Source: EFE and AP

DD