The family of Virginia Giuffre, the woman who accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse, has released a handwritten letter penned shortly before her death, declaring that her “voice will not be silenced.”

Giuffre, who was found dead at her farmhouse close to Perth, Western Australia, last week in what authorities are treating as a suspected suicide, left behind a note urging families to unite in the fight for victims of sexual abuse. The letter reads: “Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, and Brothers need to show the battle lines are drawn, and stand together to fight for the future of victims."

She continued:"Is protesting the answer? I don't know. But we've got to start somewhere.” The note was posted online by Giuffre’s sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, who is married to Giuffre’s brother, Sky.

Virginia Giuffre's death was announced by her family on Saturday, 26 April. At the time her family said in a statement that she was a “fierce warrior in the fight against sexual abuse” but that the “toll of abuse… became unbearable”.

It added: “She was the light that lifted so many survivors. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure. Despite all the adversity she faced in her life, she shone so bright. She will be missed beyond measure.” Ms Giuffre had three children, who her family described as the “light of her life.”

Three weeks prior to her death, Ms Giuffre shared a post on her Instagram account, in which she claimed doctors had told her she only had a few days left to live following a crash with a school bus.

Her publicist said last month Ms Giuffre had been treated in an Australian hospital after a traffic collision. But she did not answer questions about the date, location, nature or other specifics of the incident, nor about the accuracy of the Instagram post.

Local police later disputed the severity of the crash. On March 30, Ms Giuffre posted on Instagram: "This year has been the worst start to a new year, but I won’t bore anyone with the details but I think it important to note that when a school bus driver comes at you driving 110km as we were slowing for a turn that no matter what your car is made of it might as well be a tin can.

"I’ve gone into kidney renal failure, they’ve given me four days to live, transferring me to a specialist hospital in urology. I’m ready to go, just not until I see my babies one last time, but you know what they say about wishes.