Mohamed Al Fayed, former owner of the world-famous London department store Harrods, now stands accused. He faces more than 90 counts of sexual assault related to hundreds of victims. Reports detail the abuse of hundreds of victims under his possession, which lasted until 2010. Though born in Egypt, Al Fayed largely built his fortune and spent his days in the UK. Since 2005, he has been investigated several times, with London’s Metropolitan Police receiving 21 reports of sexual abuse committed by him throughout his career.
Al Fayed’s legacy as owner of Harrods is being reexamined. Many survivors, including Anne-Marie and Rebecca, have fearlessly shared their traumatic experiences. Rebecca’s fantasy life In early 2005, Rebecca began working for Al Fayed as his personal assistant. She shared a truly horrifying experience with him where he sexually assaulted her by kissing her mouth. Another survivor, Anne-Marie, testified that Al Fayed raped her. This new claim only contributes to the story and polarized narrative behind his actions.
Even so, none of these allegations led to any charges against Al Fayed. A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service stated, “In this case, the prosecutors who looked at the files of evidence concluded there was no realistic prospect of conviction and no charges were brought.” Survivors’ advocates can only read such inaction with grave disappointment and alarm. They are encouraging anyone with information to come forward and tell them what they know.
The culture at Harrods during Al Fayed’s ownership has been characterized as a climate of fear and intimidation. Anne-Marie shared her perspective on the environment, stating, “there was very much a culture of fear and intimidation that existed within Harrods.” She further spotlighted insider Kelly Walker-Duncalf’s role in apparently coordinating introductions between Al Fayed and future victims. She referred hundreds of girls to his office,” Anne-Marie continued. She continued to explain that Walker-Duncalf was particularly fond of “attractive blondes.”
Francesca met Al Fayed through Walker-Duncalf when she was just 20. Today, she looks back on the toxic culture that was fostered inside Harrods. It appears that Walker-Duncalf’s actions were not isolated. She reportedly sent a message stating, “Please send any attractive candidates that you see directly to my office.” This indicates a premeditated effort to locate and focus on especially vulnerable and marginalized persons.
As investigations have unfolded, police have come to believe that Al Fayed’s victim total could be over 100. The Metropolitan Police are urging anyone with relevant information to come forward: “Anyone with information, whether they were directly affected by Mohamed Al Fayed’s actions or aware of others who may have been involved, or committed offences, to come forward,” a spokesperson stated.
Following the allegations, Harrods set up a compensation fund for survivors. A spokesperson for the store encouraged those affected to seek help: “to make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation as well as support through an independent survivor advocate.”
The recently unearthed horrors around Mohamed Al Fayed’s supposed behavior towards his workers have thrown a shade on his legacy as an alternative businessman. As the allegations continue to pile up and additional survivors go public, what this will mean going forward is anyone’s guess. The cries for justice emphasize the need for accountability and true healing for victims of abuse.
