HOME OFFICE RECOGNISES FIVE AL-FAYED ABUSE SURVIVORS AS TRAFFICKING VICTIMS

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 and human trafficking. The survivors received positive "conclusive grounds" decisions from the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), the UK's official framework for identifying victims of modern slavery. All five were referred to the NRM by the anti-slavery charity Unseen UK. Their cases span from the 1990s to incidents following Harrods' 2010 sale.

The first known survivor, Rachel Louw, was publicly identified in April after receiving her decision. Since then, all four members of the survivor advocacy group No One Above have also received positive rulings; they used the pseudonyms Justine, Elizabeth, Margo and Isabella in earlier reporting. According to the Press Association, one survivor was recruited to a false role within Harrods, two were hired for legitimate roles before being selected for abuse off the shop floor, and a fourth worked as a domestic employee for the Fayed family after being recruited through letting agency Hyde Park Residence. Some survivors experienced international trafficking, whilst others were trafficked within the UK.

Legal experts have told the BBC that conclusive grounds decisions can strengthen witness credibility in criminal proceedings and may influence police investigations. The Home Office stated that additional survivors are expected to receive positive decisions. The Modern Slavery Act, which came into force in 2015, defines human trafficking as arranging or facilitating another person's travel within a country or across borders for exploitation purposes.