Sarah

I worked in Harrods for nearly four years in the early 1990's. During that time I was groomed, verbally and sexually harassed, trafficked to Paris under false pretences, taken to Fayed’s private residence Villa Windsor again under false pretences, had my passport taken from me, suffered a sexual assault that I escaped from despite there being a number of enablers present who knew what was happening yet did nothing to help me, was suddenly assessed as not performing in my job which forced me to finally leave, then became the target of a planned programme of intimidation for several years afterwards which included being followed, being the target of illegal surveillance and being coerced then threatened by his lawyers, culminating in me leaving the UK to live overseas to “escape”.

For decades I believed I was alone in the constant fear of being found and the shame and guilt I felt for something that was never my fault, but I was not. I now know that the same modus operandi was used over those same decades to do the same to many, many other women and notably children, girls who were not yet adult. When I discovered this, I was both horrified and somehow gifted a strength I didn’t know I had to do something about it, once and for all. I wanted justice for us from our perpetrator Mohammed Fayed AND his enablers so that no other daughter would have to suffer what we did and no other son would fall into the belief that this was his right. I brought my kids up to be upstanders not bystanders so how could I remain silent?

Our initial cohort of brave women placed our trust in Keaton Stone, the husband of Sophia, who was someone I remembered so fondly, and later agreed that we would work with him, Erica Gornall and Cassie Cornish-Trestrail to create a BBC documentary which went to air in September 2024.  The Tsunami of other women that this gifted a voice to has again both horrified me and goaded me yet again to do more. This is why I am part of the Justice For Fayed And Harrods Survivors Group and a strong supporter of the recently launched APPG. 

In today’s world we can become immune to inhumane and illegal treatment of other humans because it is so common, it has almost become normalised. But there are good people like us, like those helping us, like the authorities who now realise that we were wrongly ignored for so long, who will help us bring justice to our names, bring the enablers who remain in positions of authority and free to live their lives to count and help future generations to ensure that this never happens again. 

I’m still suffering today from the effects of what happened to me, but now I have help. The shame and guilt I once owned is slowly being handed back to those who should be carrying the weight of it. I’m taking back my power. 

“No other Daughter, no other Son”