Thursday 19th September 2024

Al-Fayed - Predator at Harrods. Excellent BBC investigation shines a light on the abuse and systemic protection of Mohamed Al-Fayed

DAWS welcomes the spotlight shone on Harrods and their previous owner Mohammed Al Fayed last night on the BBC. BBC Two - Al Fayed: Predator at Harrods Al Fayed perpetrated abuse in plain sight over decades and acted with impunity due to his power and money. He was not held to account and those he harassed, assaulted and abused were subdued and failed by those who should have been protecting them. He is not the first and will not be the last.

The documentary demonstrated excellent journalism and such courage from those he had abused during his time as the owner of the Harrods store. But it was also a timely reminder of the protection and power such people have. The victims of his crimes should never have needed to appear on a documentary, they should not have been silenced and organisations can do more to prevent such crimes happening in the future.

Non disclosure agreements (NDAs), in this context, are a nonsense. If organisations use them to silence victims of abuse, it indicates something is deeply wrong and needs addressing internally. It indicates a culture problem. This abuse is not inevitable. Companies have a duty to take reasonable care of the health and safety of its employees which includes their physical and mental health. (Common Law Duty of Care)

In this excellent article Domestic abuse and the workplace | LawNews.co.uk Noelle Gooden from Grant Saw Solicitors highlights: “The most important thing is what you actually do to manage and control risk in the workplace. Paperwork alone does not prove that you're complying with the law.” How we define “manage and control risk” is something to consider. What policies are in place, what support is there for those experiencing abuse, what challenge is there to those who may be using it or covering it up? Is this a safe workplace and if not, how do we make it safer?

DAWS urges companies to consider all their employees from new starters to owners and all in-between. We share the same floor 5 days a week, our wages are paid by these organisations, the power dynamics can easily be abused but - preventative measures can be taken. We ask all those who employ people to consider the frameworks they have in place and the awareness raising they can do to turn the tide. These are societal issues and require a societal response.