Recognition of Trafficking
Accounts indicate that the abuse of hundreds of young women and girls by Fayed and his associates was enabled by a sophisticated, multi-country sex trafficking operation. Without naming the crime, we fail to name the harm done, or name the problem we must address to protect new generations from exploitation.
Definition of trafficking
Under the Palermo Protocol, the European Convention Against Trafficking (ECAT), and the Modern Slavery Act 2015, trafficking is defined by three elements: act, means, and purpose.
The act involves the recruitment, transport, transfer, harbouring, or receipt of persons; the means include coercion, deception, abuse of power, or exploitation of vulnerability; and the purpose is exploitation, including sexual abuse, forced labour, slavery, or servitude.
Crucially, trafficking does not require cross-border movement and can occur entirely within one institution or city. Survivors of the Fayed and Harrods case display all key indicators: recruitment through vulnerability, coercive control and harbouring within Fayed-owned spaces, and sexual exploitation for power and gain.
NOA Action
Identification of Victims of Modern Slavery – Survivor-Led Response
This submission from No One Above (NOA) highlights systemic failings in how UK authorities, particularly the Metropolitan Police, identify victims of modern slavery.
Drawing on the Harrods / Mohamed Fayed case, where over 400 women and girls were exploited, NOA shows that police have repeatedly misclassified clear trafficking indicators as “historic sexual abuse,” denying survivors recognition and protection. This breaches UK duties under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and the European Convention Against Trafficking (ECAT). Misclassification erases victims, shields perpetrators, and undermines justice.
NOA calls for mandatory training, historic recognition, independent oversight, and survivor-centred reform so the UK can meet its anti-trafficking obligations.
Fayed Trafficking Map
The Fayed Trafficking Map visualises the domestic and cross-border trafficking routes described in survivor accounts linked to Mohamed Al Fayed’s properties and businesses. Survivors describe recruitment, harbouring and abuse centred on Harrods and Park Lane residences, with further exploitation reported in Paris and the French Riviera.
The map traces movements via private aircraft, yachts, and vehicles, suggesting a coordinated pattern of sexual exploitation spanning the UK, France, and beyond. It highlights institutional enablers and the systemic nature of abuse hidden behind Fayed’s wealth and influence.
Download map
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What's harbouring?
It is important to understand the concept of harbouring in relation to trafficking.
There are various definitions which can be influenced by their country of origin. However, a common understanding of harbouring is where human trafficking victims are accommodated or forced to stay in a specific location where they are more vulnerable to exploitation. The act of harbouring can occur before, during or in between periods of abuse and be applied to a wide array of settings.
Identifying trafficking
