Al-Fayed accusers recognised as trafficking victims, group says

Four women who allege they were abused by late Harrods owner Mohamed Al-Fayed have been recognised by the UK's interior ministry as victims of human trafficking, the No One Above advocacy group representing them said.

The women, who use the pseudonyms Isabella, Justine, Elizabeth and Margo, founded the group. Isabella confirmed in emails to AFP that their experiences dated from the 1990s to after 2010 and included international and domestic trafficking.

They were referred by the Unseen UK charity to the National Referral Mechanism, Britain's official framework for identifying and supporting victims of human trafficking and modern slavery. The four women received "conclusive grounds" decisions between May and July, according to the group.

Mohamed Al-Fayed died in 2023 without facing prosecution. Dozens of women have accused him of assault, rape and human trafficking over more than three decades, including women who worked at Harrods in London or were hired as assistants at his businesses, including the Ritz hotel in Paris.

The BBC reported in April that a fifth woman, Rachael Louw, had been confirmed as a trafficking victim after reporting abuse by Mohamed Al-Fayed and his brother Salah in the UK and France.

London's Metropolitan Police has received allegations from 157 people who said they were sexually assaulted, raped or trafficked by Mohamed Al-Fayed. Police have questioned six people suspected of enabling his offences and have made no arrests, according to the supplied figures. Some were questioned under suspicion of human trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Some women, including Louw, have expressed frustration that the Metropolitan Police is not focusing on the trafficking aspect of the alleged offences. Louw previously told AFP she had turned to France, where a police investigation into Mohamed and Salah Al-Fayed's alleged abuse is being handled by a human trafficking unit.