Mohamed al Fayed: 290 women claim damages from Harrods over alleged assaults | British news

On November 21, 2024By Pranco

A lawyer has told Sky News that 290 women have signed up to Harrods’ compensation scheme over claims they were sexually abused by former owner Mohamed al Fayed.

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

Dame Jasvinder Sanghera has been appointed as advocate for the Justice for Harrods Survivors group.

She says she has written personal letters to 290 women who have signed up for the Harrods compensation scheme.

“There are currently 290 women involved in the Harrods trial, but in my experience there will be many women who have yet to come forward,” she told the newspaper. VK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee.

“There will be a lot of women sitting on their reporting for a number of reasons. It takes a lot of courage. I’m sure there are others.”

Dame Jasvinder is a human rights activist and founder of the charity Karma Nirvana – for victims of honour-related abuse.

She has spoken a lot about how her parents tried to force her to get married before she escaped and was disowned by them.

Earlier, Justice for Harrods Survivors said minimum 420 people had contacted them about allegations against Fayed.

Was among them Bianca Gascoignedaughter of former England player Paul Gascoigne.

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

Former Fulham captain Ronnie Gibbons has also claimed that the former owner of Harrods sexually assaulted her.

The former footballer told The Athletic that he tried to kiss and grope her in 2000, aged 20, while she was working at Harrods.

Last month three women told us BBC news they were sexually abused by Fayed’s brother, Salah, who died of pancreatic cancer in 2010.

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

“We also hope that they will pursue any appropriate avenue in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and the estate.”

Harrods launched an internal investigation after the first allegations against Fayed came to light to determine whether the abuse extended to current staff members. No results have been announced yet.

Many alleged victims are also taking separate legal action.