At least five women abused by former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed have been formally recognised by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery. The BBC revealed in April that Rachel Louw, who has waived her right to anonymity, had become the first woman known to receive such a decision.
Since then, at least four other women have received positive "conclusive grounds" decisions recognising them as victims of modern slavery, with more expected to follow, according to . The latest cases include women who were trafficked internationally and within the UK, including one case in which the trafficking took place entirely within Harrods.
When an individual receives a positive "conclusive grounds" decision through the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) - the UK's official framework for identifying victims of modern slavery - they are formally recognised as a victim. Legal experts have previously told the BBC that these decisions can strengthen the credibility of witnesses in criminal proceedings and may influence the way police investigate cases.
The Modern Slavery Act, which came into force in 2015, defines human trafficking as arranging or facilitating the travel of another person within a country or across borders for the purposes of that person being exploited.
The latest decisions include all four members of the survivor advocacy group No One Above, who had been awaiting rulings after being referred to the NRM by the anti-slavery charity Unseen.
According to , one survivor had been recruited to a false role within Harrods, while two others were employed in legitimate roles before being selected for abuse from the shop floor.
A fourth worked as a domestic employee for the Fayed family after being recruited by a letting agency called Hyde Park Residence.
One of the survivors said receiving the decision was "very significant".
"Seeing it in writing that you were a victim of modern slavery and trafficking is very... it's really shocking to read," she told .
The Home Office found Rachel Louw had been subjected to sexual exploitation in the UK and France over a three-year period by Al Fayed and his brother Salah.
Speaking to the BBC in April, Louw said she felt "vindication" and "validation" that the government had recognised her case.
"It was an odd feeling to feel positive about an acknowledgement of something that was so intrinsically negative," she said. "But it is vindication and validation."
In her final determination, the Home Office found she had been subjected to sexual exploitation in the UK and France over a three-year period by Al Fayed and his brother Salah.
Hundreds of women have accused Al Fayed, who owned the luxury Harrods store in London between 1985 and 2010, of rape, sexual assault and trafficking. Al Fayed died in 2023 aged 94 having never faced any charges. Several women have also accused his brother Salah of abuse. Salah died in 2010.
The Metropolitan Police's investigation, Operation Cornpoppy, is examining whether others facilitated or enabled Al Fayed's crimes.
The Met has broadened its investigation to include human trafficking, and in March announced that four people had been interviewed under caution over offences including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating rape.
It said that 154 victims had come forward and reported allegations of sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
What is the significance of the Home Office decisions?
The decisions formally recognise the women as victims of modern slavery through the National Referral Mechanism. Legal experts have said such findings can strengthen the credibility of witnesses in criminal proceedings and may affect how police pursue investigations.
What do the latest cases involve?
The latest decisions include all four members of the survivor advocacy group No One Above. One survivor was recruited to a false role within Harrods, two were hired into legitimate jobs before being selected for abuse from the shop floor, and a fourth worked as a domestic employee for the Fayed family after being recruited by Hyde Park Residence.
reported that the cases involved trafficking both internationally and within the UK, including one case that took place entirely within Harrods.
What has Rachel Louw said about her case?
Rachel Louw was the first woman known to receive a positive decision after the BBC revealed her case in April. The Home Office found she had been subjected to sexual exploitation in the UK and France over a three-year period by Al Fayed and his brother Salah.
She told the BBC in April that she felt "vindication" and "validation" after the government recognised her case.
"It was an odd feeling to feel positive about an acknowledgement of something that was so intrinsically negative," she said. "But it is vindication and validation."
What is happening in the wider police investigation?
Operation Cornpoppy, the Metropolitan Police investigation, is looking at whether other people facilitated or enabled Al Fayed's crimes. The Met broadened the investigation to include human trafficking, and in March said four people had been interviewed under caution over offences including human trafficking for sexual exploitation and facilitating rape.
The force said 154 victims had come forward with allegations of sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
Key Facts
- At least five women abused by Mohamed Al Fayed have been formally recognised by the Home Office as victims of modern slavery.
- The BBC revealed in April that Rachel Louw was the first known woman to receive a positive decision.
- At least four other women have since received positive "conclusive grounds" decisions, according to .
- Al Fayed owned Harrods in London between 1985 and 2010 and died in 2023 aged 94.
- The Metropolitan Police says 154 victims have come forward in its Operation Cornpoppy investigation.
