Gemma, who was considered one of Mr Al Fayed’s private assistants between 2007 and 2009 and labored for the workplace of his charitable basis, alleged that Mr Al Fayed raped her throughout a visit to Paris.

Greater than 20 feminine former workers have spoken to the BBC as a part of an investigation, coming ahead with allegations of assault and bodily violence at properties in London and Paris.

5 girls alleged they’d been raped by Mr Al Fayed, who died final 12 months on the age of 94, the broadcaster reported.

Gemma is considered one of 37 girls represented by a authorized staff which held a press convention on Friday – and greater than 100 different girls have come ahead for the reason that BBC aired a documentary on Thursday night, barrister Bruce Drummond mentioned.

Requested what she want to obtain by way of the method, Gemma mentioned: “I feel actually that HR legal guidelines and the safety round HR is re-evaluated, as a result of I feel for me, one of many greatest downfalls of all of this was the HR division.

“They by no means investigated him, they by no means checked in on my welfare, and I feel that’s actually necessary.

“You recognize, if an organization’s received a protected surroundings to work, then nothing ought to go unsuitable. And that’s not what was supplied at Harrods.”

Talking of the alleged abuse in Paris, Gemma mentioned: “He assaulted me in essentially the most vile manner, and he acted like nothing had occurred.”

Gemma mentioned that was when she determined to depart, including: “As much as that time, I’d clearly put up with practically two years of his harassment and grooming.”

She mentioned she was signed off from work with stress, then despatched a letter of resignation on the grounds of sexual harassment.

Mr Al Fayed then “harassed” Gemma for the subsequent week with telephone calls and textual content messages, she mentioned.

And he or she then engaged with a lawyer to assist her go away the corporate and mentioned she was made to “signal an NDA and shred all of my proof”.

Gemma had a Dictaphone which she recorded Mr Al Fayed on, and she or he needed to destroy it however discovered transcripts of the recordings in her e mail despatched field years later, she mentioned.

She mentioned: “I feel that I’d received to the purpose the place I felt that I wanted to report him, as a result of I’d already deliberate my escape, however I felt so threatened in leaving that I wanted one thing to guard me, and I assumed if I simply go away and inform individuals what occurred, no-one will consider me, and even when they do, they’ll most likely shield him.

“So I felt like having one thing to guard me was the most secure route, and actually he validated my worry as a result of he harassed me after I did go away.”

Gemma mentioned she solely got here to phrases with how “horrific” her experiences have been when she began going by way of the method with the authorized staff.

She added: “It’s solely this course of the place I’ve needed to form of revisit and truly, as a maturer girl in her 40s, I’m wanting again at that 24-year-old, and it makes me so cross, as a result of, me now wouldn’t stand for it, I’d be screaming from the rooftops.”

And watching the documentary on Thursday night was the primary time Gemma had heard the tales of the opposite alleged victims, she mentioned.

“I’d by no means heard their names. I didn’t know who they have been. They by no means labored on the similar time. But, we’re all saying precisely the identical issues,” she mentioned.

Gemma added: “It’s made me really feel like I can begin to heal now, as a result of I’m not the one one. I’m not this freak that this occurred to, and I did one thing unsuitable. It was him.”

Harrods beforehand mentioned it was “completely appalled” by the allegations of abuse and mentioned it had arrange a web page on its web site inviting former workers to come back ahead if they’ve allegations.