Al Fayed survivor was modern slavery victim, says Home Office

Al Fayed survivor was modern slavery victim, says Home Office7 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleEllie PriceNews correspondentBBCRachael Louw suffered abuse at the hands of the former Harrods owner and his brotherThe Home Office has for the first time formally acknowledged that a woman who was abused by Mohamed Al Fayed was a victim of modern slavery, the BBC understands.Rachael Louw, who has waived her right to anonymity, was trafficked and suffered abuse at the hands of the former Harrods owner and his brother Salah.She says she feels "vindication" and "validation" that her case has been recognised by the British government.The BBC has spoken to at least three other women who have made applications to the government's National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for modern slavery, and are expecting similar rulings soon.SHAUN CURRY/AFP via Getty ImagesHundreds of women have accused Al Fayed, who owned the luxury Harrods store in London, of rape, sexual assault and traffickingWhere an individual receives what's known as a positive "conclusive grounds" decision, they are considered to be a confirmed victim of modern slavery. Legal experts say such a decision lends credibility to witnesses in a criminal court and may have an impact on the way police investigate a case.The Modern Slavery Act, which came into force in 2015, defines human trafficking as arranging or facilitating the travel of another person within a country or across borders for the purposes of that person being exploited.Hundreds of women have accused Al Fayed, who owned the luxury Harrods store in London between 1985 and 2010, of rape, sexual assault and trafficking. Several women have made the same allegations against his brother Salah Fayed. Mohamed Al Fayed died in 2023 aged 94 having never faced any charges. Salah Fayed died in 2010.'Vindication and validation'For Louw, the decision comes as the first step in bringing to justice those whom she say...