Mohammed Al Fayed.

Mm but some didn't seem to mind when they were living the high life on the side, with expensive trips, & gifts etc
I wonder why it takes years and suddenly so many jumping on the £chink chink£ band wagon
I don’t believe the too scared to speak up, there would be the same danger if so many men involved
And watching tv this am I noticed one woman stated she “pushed him off and ran across the room into (HER BEDROOM) “ Her Bedroom? Erm thought she had gone back for a drink? What’s she expect a ginger nut with a coffee ? Come on …
I’m taking all this with a pinch of salt, and shrug.

Actually, it's trafficking, rape and abuse, because the attacks took place in different countries - London, Paris, Saint-Tropez and Abu Dhabi... The ultimate in 'my way or the highway' attitude of the rich and famous and predatory.

...and he was a liar. www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/02/mohamed-al-fayed-obituary

icanhandthemback and MissInterpreted you also had a bad experience with a man, just as I did (icanhandthemback yours was far worse.) My own experience was my own, all sexual assaults are different just as the reactions to them are too.I merely stated that I slapped the man in the face, it was an instinctive reaction on my part.Nobody need feel shame for being attacked.

What I wouldn’t have done, in any circumstances is to stay in the same workplace.

That may be your view, Oreo - but in your comments throughout this thread, whether you meant it to or not, it comes across that you couldn't understand why any woman wouldn't simply slap a man across the face or walk out of a job. You reacted one way - the fact that some froze or reacted differently doesn't make those reactions any less valid. You have no idea what other pressures other woman may have been under at the time. You are entitled to your view and your opinion, of course - but other opinions and experiences are just as valid.

Like others I'm puzzled by why these women let themselves be put in this position. Who on earth would choose to be alone with a man with a repulation for sexual impropriety, let alone in an hotel room. Several of the compainants appear to have been his PA's who must have known him well.
We had a student lodger years ago who regularly worked in Harrods during the sales. She was well aware of his reputation.

Perhaps they were of the opinion that nothing would happen to them, and that those it did happen to need only scream and it would stop him in his tracks?

He was a revolting man, and his security team are also to blame, lawyers should go after them for compensation as well.

It never ceases to amaze me that instead of condemning the predator in all of this people delight in blaming the victims.
And the reason why young women might put up with sexual abuse or exploitation are varied, some might have been threatened by Al Fayed and his security staff, indeed I believe they were told that their families would suffer if they said anything. Also knowing that so many would judge them as they are doing on this thread now would be a big reason why they would put up with it rather than speaking out. And I imagine just walking out could be tricky if Al Fayed wished for them to stay and be at his beck and call. Let’s not forget that in every case when powerful and influential men have exploited young women or men the victims have felt unable to come forward until a brave victim does so or the predator dies. As in the case if Savile.
Certainly if these young women were molested and raped their self confidence would be on the floor and they would be incapable of thinking straight, something a serial predator knows only too well.
As for accepting money or gifts, of course Al Fayed would pay for their silence.

The bodyguard who survived the Diana crash politely skirted around the issue of hoe very manipulative Al Fayed is, with a whole host of people who will do his bidding.

MissInterpreted

That may be your view, Oreo - but in your comments throughout this thread, whether you meant it to or not, it comes across that you couldn't understand why any woman wouldn't simply slap a man across the face or walk out of a job. You reacted one way - the fact that some froze or reacted differently doesn't make those reactions any less valid. You have no idea what other pressures other woman may have been under at the time. You are entitled to your view and your opinion, of course - but other opinions and experiences are just as valid.

Yeah, it is my view.
It’s a misunderstanding on your and others part if you think I said anyone ‘should have slapped him in the face’ those words are simply not there in any of my comments.
Walk out of the job yes, and I still believe, no matter what anyone else says or thinks that anyone subject to a sexual assault would leave the job, no matter who the boss was and no matter what threats were issued, if indeed they were.
Of course other reactions are valid, we’re all different in the way we act/react and I have already said that in my previous post to this one.

cc

Like others I'm puzzled by why these women let themselves be put in this position. Who on earth would choose to be alone with a man with a repulation for sexual impropriety, let alone in an hotel room. Several of the compainants appear to have been his PA's who must have known him well.
We had a student lodger years ago who regularly worked in Harrods during the sales. She was well aware of his reputation.

Some of the complainants went to Abu Dahbi, Monte Carlo and Paris with him, or to his Park Lane flat.I can’t understand it either.

I am far from being young but I worked for him in his Highland Estate 2010 to 2012, the team looked after his private family residence so we saw a lot of him and his family when they visited. I found him to be typical of some men that age, a bit crude with his jokes but actually a nice man, he would have a wallet full of £50 notes and would dish them out willy nilly, we had members of staff who fit the profile he supposedly preferred and not once was there anything like this ever even hinted at. The queen supposedly refused to give him his visa due to his former arms deals.
I'm not saying the Harrods staff are lying but having spent time in his company I'm just not convinced, why wait until a year after his death, surely after he sold Harrods there was nothing to be afraid of? And by the way we never had to have internal examinations either, there's no way I'd have ever agreed to that. We had an in depth background check by his team in London but after what he believed happened to Dodi he was totally paranoid.

Would you expect to be informed if anything untoward had happened to young members of staff?

@Oreo, Epstein’s victims also flew to exotic locations with him, and stayed in his palatial apartment in Manhattan. Depends whether you think young women subjected to sexual servitude/abuses are having a ball because it is happening abroad or in lavish surroundings.

It was a very small close knit team, changes in behaviour would have been noticed and talked about so yes I do think someone would have mentioned something

Thank you.
I guess all will come to light, one way or another.

I think it will too, I'll be watching with interest

Babs03

@Oreo, Epstein’s victims also flew to exotic locations with him, and stayed in his palatial apartment in Manhattan. Depends whether you think young women subjected to sexual servitude/abuses are having a ball because it is happening abroad or in lavish surroundings.

Epstein and his set up were a world away from working in a London store.The two just cannot be compared.

Wow @Oreo you just keep shaming. It’s called an abuse of power. It’s only recently that women have even been listened to regarding sexual assault never mind felt confident enough to make a complaint. Plus I think you find that these predators choose their victims for their vulnerability.

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Wow Yearoff it’s called having an opinion.There’s no shaming at all just surprise that women would travel around with Fayed when they knew his reputation.
Am def sorry for any young girl he took advantage of or tried to in his office within the store ( hopefully they left as soon as they could) but can’t understand why others would visit his mansions and hotels in other countries.It may not be a popular view but so be it.

GrannyH knowing what you know now do you still think he was in your words he was a very nice man ? You have no idea if anyone was abused or not in your little community they don’t have it written on their foreheads and they don’t tell ANYONE
I can t believe a few of these replies and how woman can so dismiss other women and disbelieve anything that doesn’t fit with their own ways and experiences

I don't disbelieve these women and am sure that Fayed was rich and predatory. However, what did these girls think was going to happen? That he just liked them? I'm sure he went for very naive girls as surely anyone with a bit about them would have had nothing to do with him. Plenty of other jobs for young women in those days.