I just learned that Virginia Guiffre committed suicide in April.

[canetoad]

7. Tragic, but there is a longer story

She lived in a rural area of Western Australia, north of Perth. Her marriage had recently broken down and it appeared that she was in an emotionally very shaky place.

Then there was the 'car accident'. Plenty of witnesses said it was a minor scrape, including the driver of the school bus with which she collided. She had been frequently in the news in previous months.

Don't take this next statement as gospel - it's my own observation; she was filmed more than once carrying large packs of beer and smoking. I have no moral issues about this, it's her business. But it may indicate that under the stress on other matters, she was drinking more alcohol than was healthy and this may have been a sign that she was not coping.

Her death made me extremely sad; a young woman who suffered terrible abuse but never fully recovered.