The 100-Year Life Health Education and Government
More than 80 women have approached the BBC claiming they were harassed, abused or raped by the former Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed. Last month the BBC reported that more than 20 ex-employees of Harrods had accused Fayed, who died last year aged 94, of sexual assault or rape. Since then a further 65 women – mostly former Harrods employees – have come forward to say they were abused by the billionaire. The allegations go as far back as 1977. Harrods says over 200 individuals are now in the process of settling claims directly with the business. The group Justice for Harrods Survivors says its barristers have taken on 71 clients and it’s processing a further 220 inquiries. How did abuse at this scale not come to light before Fayed’s death? A web of enablers, lawyers and non-disclosure agreements prevented survivors speaking out and deterred journalists who might have – should have? – found a way to tell their stories even so.
