Mohamed al Fayed: 290 women pursuing Harrods compensation over alleged assaults

20 November 2024, 14:02 | Updated: 20 November 2024, 16:57

A lawyer has told Sky News 290 women have applied to the Harrods compensation scheme over claims they were sexually abused by its former owner Mohamed al Fayed.

Fayed, who died aged 94 in August 2023, has been accused of widespread abuse of female staff while he owned the department store.

Dame Jasvinder Sanghera has been appointed as an Independent Survivor Advocate to support survivors.

She says she has written personal letters to 290 women who have applied to the compensation scheme set up by Harrods.

"There are 290 women currently in the Harrods process, but in my experience, there will be a lot of women out there who are yet to report," she told the UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee.

"There'll be many women sitting on their reporting for a number of reasons. It takes a lot of courage. I'm sure there's more out there."

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Dame Jasvinder is a human rights campaigner and founder of the charity Karma Nirvana - for victims of honour-based abuse.

She has spoken widely about how her parents tried to force her to marry before she escaped and was disowned by them.

Previously Justice for Harrods Survivors said at least 420 people had contacted them regarding allegations against Fayed.

Among them was Bianca Gascoigne, daughter of former England player Paul Gascoigne.

Speaking to Sky News last month, she said she was groomed and then sexually assaulted by Fayed while she worked at Harrods as a teenager.

Former Fulham captain Ronnie Gibbons has also alleged the former Harrods owner sexually assaulted her.

The former footballer told The Athletic he tried to "forcefully kiss" and grope her while she was working at Harrods at the age of 20 in 2000.

Last month, three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by Fayed's brother, Salah, who died from pancreatic cancer in 2010.

In a statement, the luxury retailer, which was sold to Qatar Holdings in 2010 for £1.5bn, said: "We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.

"We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate."

Harrods launched an internal review after the initial allegations against Fayed came to light to ascertain if the abuse extended to any current members of staff. It has not yet revealed any outcomes.

Many alleged victims are also pursuing separate legal action.

(c) Sky News 2024: Mohamed al Fayed: 290 women pursuing Harrods compensation over alleged assaults