Yesterday, Prince Andrew was accused of victim shaming his accuser by calling Virginia Giuffre a publicity hungry liar for making up her sexual assault claims for a payday.
After his lawyers filed a blistering 36 page motion to dismiss the US civil suit brought in by Ms Giuffre, in which she accuses him of rape and he refused to comply, the Duke of York faced immediate backlash from women groups.
The 38-year-old woman, previously known as Roberts her maiden name, claims that she was allegedly sexually trafficked to Andrew on three occasions. She was first sex pedophile Jeffrey Epstein when she was 17 years old and below the legal age of consent in New York.
The Duke, a 61-year old, has repeatedly and vehemently denied her claims.
Prince Andrew photographed with Virginia Roberts in London, 2001
Virginia Giuffre at a news conference held outside Thurgood Marshall United State Courthouse on August 27, 2019.
Andrew’s US legal team labelled Ms Giuffre’s lawsuit frivolous in court documents filed Friday night. They stated that she had initiated the baseless lawsuit against Prince Andrew to get another payday.
The court papers angered women’s groups as well as campaigners. Andrew’s lawyers claimed Ms. Giuffre had secured sums that’most people could only imagine’ by filing lawsuits against Epstein, his associate, Ghislaine, and were ultimately settled out of court.
Joan Smith, a former chairwoman of the Mayor’s Violence Against Women group in London, said that the Duke seems to live in the 1950s, when abused females were often called “gold diggers”. The lowest level of accusation of a victim of sexual abuse of being motivated financially is possible.
“It’s victim shaming and further evidence for his appalling judgment. Andrew is just dragging the reputation of his abominable judgment further.
Karen Ingala Smith is the chief executive of NIA. NIA is a London-based charity that works to end domestic and sexual violence against women.
“It is grossly dishonest for one to claim that sexual violence is abhorrent, and then on the contrary to label those seeking legal redress in such a way as money grabers. Ms Giuffre’s lawyer suggested last night that she may subpoena Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, as well as her daughters Princesses Beatrice & Eugenie, and force them into testimony under oath.
After his lawyers filed a blistering 36 page motion to dismiss the US civil suit brought in by Ms Giuffre, in which she accuses Royal of rape, the Duke faced immediate backlash from women’s groups
Sigrid McCawley and her team are looking into Andrew’s 2019 BBC Newsnight interview. She wants to interview Andrew’s ex-wife, and daughters, about his alibi.
Ms Giuffre’s legal team may also request the Duke’s medical records. He claimed that he couldn’t have been’sweating profusely on a dancefloor’ as Ms Giuffre claimed, because he has a medical condition that stops him from sweating.
Andrew Brettler, a Californian attorney, stated in his motion for dismissal that Giuffre has profited over ten years of her allegations. Many people can only dream of the amount of money Giuffre has been able to secure over the years.
“This gives Giuffre a compelling motivation to continue filing frivolous lawsuits versus individuals such as Prince Andrew, whose damaged reputation is just the latest collateral injury of the Epstein scandal.
“Giuffre has started this baseless lawsuit against Prince Andrew in order to get another payday at his expense, and at the expense to those closest to him.”
An anonymous legal source said to the MoS that Andrew and his teams were not looking to victim shame their accuser. This could backfire in court of public opinion.
Wednesday, September 13, is the first pre-trial hearing for this case.