Former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed has been accused of sexual assault by five women who have waived their right to anonymity. These women spoke out about a “pattern of sexual harassment” that occurred while they were working at the company, with one survivor alleging that she was trafficked to Paris where Al Fayed sexually harassed and attempted to rape her. The BBC conducted an initial investigation that heard testimony from over 20 former female Harrods employees who claimed that Al Fayed sexually assaulted or raped them.
Although Al Fayed died last year at the age of 94, the current owners of Harrods released a statement emphasising that they are different to the company that Al Fayed ran between the years of 1985 and 2010. They stated that they place the “welfare of our employees at the heart of everything we do” and wish to settle any claims made by the women in question “in the quickest way possible”.
The former owner of Harrods has been involved in other high-profile scandals throughout his career, which has been marked by controversy. Most notably, he has been a vocal advocate for the belief that the death of his son, Dodi, and Princess Diana in a car crash in 1997 was not an accident. Additionally, he has made numerous donations to political parties in the UK, including £1.5 million to the Labour Party in 2001.
The women’s accusations come in the wake of a number of high-profile #MeToo cases in which powerful figures have been accused of sexual misconduct. It is hoped that by speaking out, the women who were victimised while working at Harrods will help to create a safer, more equitable working environment for future generations of female employees
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
