British woman arrested in Dubai after reporting rape

el guapo · Post by **el guapo** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 4:45 pm

Tourist celebrating her engagement told police she been raped by a waiter and was arrested for illegal sex with fiance

Friday 8 January 2010 14.03 GMT Article historyA British woman who made a rape complaint in Dubai has been arrested for having illegal sex with her fiance, according to reports. The woman, a 23-year-old from London, said she was raped by a waiter in a luxury hotel after celebrating her engagement to her 44-year-old boyfriend, also from London.

But when she reported the alleged rape to police in the Middle Eastern state she and her boyfriend were arrested for having sex outside marriage and illegal drinking outside licensed premises.

The Foreign Office confirmed that two British people had been arrested and bailed, but would give no further details. A spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that two British nationals were arrested in Dubai on 1 January. Our embassy in Dubai is providing consular assistance."

The woman was allegedly inebriated after celebrating her engagement on a three-day new year break to the city, where her boyfriend proposed, and lost consciousness in the women's toilets of the Address hotel where the couple were staying, according to the Sun.

The waiter is said to have followed her into the toilets and raped her while she was in a semi-conscious state. Her fiance, unaware of the attack, took her to her room.

The next day, after realising what had happened, the couple went to the Jebel Ali police station to report the crime.

Police began to question the couple about breaking the emirate's strict decency laws. Usual rape procedures were ignored and the woman was given a full medical check and a morning-after pill only after the intervention of British embassy staff, the paper reported.

Her attacker is believed to have denied rape, saying the woman, a British Muslim of Pakistani descent, consented, but he has also been charged with "illegal sex".

It is understood the couple have been bailed but are still in Dubai. They could face up to six years if found guilty of having sex outside marriage.

It is not the first time Dubai's strict laws have caused problems for British tourists. In February 2008 a BBC radio presenter, DJ Grooverider, whose real name is Raymond Bingham, was jailed for four years in Dubai after he was caught with marijuana worth £10. He was pardoned after 10 months. In July 2008 businessman Vince Acors and publishing executive Michelle Palmer received three-month jail terms after being convicted of having sex on a beach in July 2008. On his return to the UK, Acors said: "Dubai is a massive contradiction – everything is available yet everything is illegal."

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 4:54 pm

Screwy place!

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:13 pm

....note to self: In similar desperate situation, go to Embassy FIRST.

Stupid, but I do feel sorry for them.

AussiePam · Post by **AussiePam** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:17 pm

Very stupid people. What on earth did they expect??????

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:19 pm

good grief.:rolleyes:

CARLA · Post by **CARLA** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:25 pm

Should have kept their mouths shut and went home. Best to know the law and culture of a country before traveling in it especially the middle east. She was drunk, not married, reporting a rape not smart they could be behind bars for years.

Ahso! · Post by **Ahso!** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:56 pm

Its difficult to imagine rape could turn out this way. Its like its illegal to be raped in Dubai.

K.Snyder · Post by **K.Snyder** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:08 pm

It is understood the couple have been bailed but are still in Dubai. They could face up to six years if found guilty of having sex outside marriage.

This cannot be proven unless they admit to it or have been "legally" video taped, from which I'd have to imagine they'd be brought up on "illegal" pornography charges!

I cannot, for the life of me, know why anyone in the world would ever wish to live in Dubai!

Kathy Ellen · Post by **Kathy Ellen** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:12 pm

We should always be prepared to enter foreign countries and make sure that we know all of their rules and regulations.

My family and I were excited going to Tangiers, Africa, but we were also apprehensive entering this country as we weren't sure if we'd be welcomed. We made sure that we dressed and acted appropriately.

It was just so scary that our passports were taken away from us until we left the country. Maybe we wouldn't have visited there if we knew our passports would be confiscated.....dunno....

We did have a wonderful, wonderful time in Tangiers because we had a great tour guide who made us feel so comfortable. The people that we met were so warm and welcoming to us. I'd go back in a heartbeat to meet again some of the people that lived there.