Almost half of Fayed abuse accusers are potential trafficking victims, MPs told

Almost half of the women who reported allegations of sexual abuse by Mohamed Al Fayed to the Metropolitan Police are potential victims of human trafficking, MPs have been informed. In a briefing for the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for the survivors of Fayed and Harrods in July, senior Met officers revealed that a review earlier this year identified 70 survivors’ accounts that bore the hallmarks of trafficking.

Last month, the Home Office confirmed that at least five survivors were victims of international and domestic trafficking. According to Wendy Chamberlain, a Liberal Democrat MP and co-chair of the APPG, the Met’s figures suggest that the number of confirmed cases could increase significantly. She stated, "I can’t believe that wouldn’t increase," drawing a comparison between the scale of Fayed’s abuse and that of Jimmy Savile.

Dave Robertson, the APPG’s other co-chair from the Labour party, emphasized that the number of women trafficked by Fayed and his trafficking ring is likely much higher. Some women were reportedly trafficked from Harrods to Fayed’s private offices and residence in Park Lane, while others were taken out of the UK and abused overseas.

Several survivors have expressed concerns that the Home Office has not recognized them as victims of trafficking due to their current residency abroad. One survivor, Amy, who now lives in Italy, shared her experience of being trafficked from Harrods to Fayed’s properties. She recounted being transferred to a personal assistant role at his residence, where she was allegedly sexually abused.