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The Home Office has officially recognised at least five women who were abused by the former Harrods owner, Mohamed Al Fayed, as victims of modern slavery. This development was first publicly highlighted by the BBC in April when Rachel Louw, who has chosen to waive her anonymity, became the first woman to receive such formal recognition. Since that initial announcement, at least four additional women have obtained positive “conclusive grounds” decisions, confirming their status as victims, with more anticipated.
These recent decisions cover a range of scenarios, including cases where women were trafficked both internationally and within the UK. One particularly notable example involves trafficking that occurred entirely within the premises of Harrods itself. The National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the UK’s official framework tasked with identifying victims of modern slavery, issues these “conclusive grounds” decisions. When an individual is granted such a decision, they are formally acknowledged as a victim, a finding that legal experts suggest can enhance the credibility of witnesses in criminal trials and affect how police approach their investigations.
Among those recognised are all four members of the survivor advocacy group No One Above. These women were referred to the NRM by the anti-slavery charity Unseen and had been awaiting their rulings. Their circumstances vary: one was tricked into taking a fabricated role within Harrods, while two others initially worked in legitimate positions before being singled out for abuse from the shop floor. Another survivor was employed as a domestic worker for the Fayed family after recruitment through a letting agency called Hyde Park Residence. One survivor described receiving recognition as “very significant,” saying, “Seeing it in writing that you were a victim of modern slavery and trafficking is very… it’s really shocking to read.”
Rachel Louw, who spoke with the BBC in April, expressed feelings of “vindication” and “validation” after the government recognised her case. The Home Office’s final determination confirmed that she experienced sexual exploitation over a three-year period, both in the UK and France, at the hands of Mohamed Al Fayed and his brother Salah. Louw described the complex emotions involved: “It was an odd feeling to feel positive about an acknowledgement of something that was so intrinsically negative. But it is vindication and validation.” Hundreds of women have come forward accusing Mohamed Al Fayed, who owned the prestigious Harrods store from 1985 to 2010, of rape, sexual assault, and trafficking. He passed away in 2023 at the age of 94 without facing charges. His brother Salah, who also faced accusations of abuse, died in 2010.
The Metropolitan Police’s investigation, named Operation Cornpoppy, is examining whether others may have enabled or facilitated the crimes attributed to Al Fayed. The scope of the inquiry has expanded to cover human trafficking offenses, and in March, four individuals were questioned under caution concerning allegations including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating rape. So far, the police have reported that 154 victims have come forward with claims of sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation, and human trafficking
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