Al-Fayed and Epstein abuse survivors push for trafficking reform
Survivors of abuse by Mohamed Al-Fayed and Jeffrey Epstein met to push for changes to trafficking laws and safeguards.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Survivors of abuse linked to Mohamed Al-Fayed and Jeffrey Epstein have come together to demand changes to trafficking laws. The two campaigns, which have previously operated separately, held a joint meeting attended by women from both cases. They are calling for better safeguards to prevent young women from being trafficked by wealthy and powerful men.
The meeting comes two years after the survivors first held a landmark news conference. Since then, they say they have been engaging with lawmakers and law enforcement. One survivor said: "We can't change what happened to any of us. That 16 year old girl that walked into Harrods full of hope. I can't do anything for her. But it's really important that we start engaging with people who are able to help us to bring reform, change laws, change policies."
Hope Beryl Green, a survivor of abuse by Epstein, told the meeting that she was flown into London on a plane, and that she was trafficked by Epstein. She said there need to be safeguards so that such things do not happen. The survivors argue that both Al-Fayed and Epstein relied on networks of enablers, and that trafficking is an epidemic.
Mohamed Al-Fayed died before he could face justice. However, the police have been investigating claims about the role of other people who worked for him, and a file has been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service. The survivors say they stand with over 500 survivors in the Al-Fayed case. They believe meaningful change is on the horizon.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 |
|---|---|
| Broadcasters reported that both Al-Fayed and Epstein had vast wealth and power that enabled them to traffic young women. | |
| Police sent a file to the Crown Prosecution Service about claims against Al-Fayed's associates. | |
| Survivors said they stand with over 500 survivors in the Al-Fayed case. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report focused on the emotional reunion of survivors from both cases, their determination to turn personal trauma into legal reform, and the progress they claim to have made with lawmakers. It highlighted the similarities between Al-Fayed and Epstein, the role of enablers, and the ongoing police investigation into Al-Fayed's associates. The tone was sympathetic and hopeful, with an emphasis on the survivors' collective strength.
- “We can't change what happened to any of us. That 16 year old girl that walked into Harrods full of hope. I can't I can't do anything for her. But it's really important that we start engaging with people who are able to help us to bring reform, change laws, change policies.”
- “I was flown into London on a plane so I was actually trafficked here by Epstein. So there needs to be a really safe guards in place so that those things like that don't happen.”
- “Trafficking is an epidemic in our country and I'm sure here in the UK as well, because you can traffic a person, you could sell a person over. You can abuse a person over and over and they use that wealth and that power to do that.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.