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13 March, 2006

J'accuse

What a horrifically sad and backward verdict. A woman in RAK gets five years in jail after reporting yet another gang rape.

Firstly: sex workers in the UAE don't tend to accuse men of rape, for obvious reasons. And like prostitutes the world over, it is something they face repeatedly. So making a false accusation would be absurd to the point of incredible. Nor should it matter if a woman is Mother Theresa or the Whore of Babylon, she deserves to be treated with respect and compassion.

Secondly: why has the woman received a five year jail sentence for adultery, and the men only three months?

It really is about time UAE justice dragged itself out of the stone age. The typical reaction of the police and justice departments to any woman claiming rape is: "you are a prostitute". Witness the awful accusations made recently to the gang-raped British air hostess.

Take Kiki and Maurice's poor cleaning lady, who was recently abducted by four local boys near Park & Shop (yes - boys, not men - two were early teens) but fortunately managed to escape. Police accused her of lying to cover up illicit sex, despite the fact she was a virigin - fortunately proved medically later on. The doctor's words to her during the check up really say it all: "you're in the UAE, what do you expect?"

And let's not forget Touria Tiouli, a French businesswoman who was raped by three local men, one at least of them so high-born or highly wastad that he was never even investigated. She was charged with adultery, it took intense, high-level diplomacy to secure her freedom. Her book Brisée : En prison à Dubai pour avoir été violée is available on Amazon.

Until the UAE deals properly with victim's rights, gives abused women proper protection, and stops treating rape as something shameful or wicked on the woman's part, it's hard to feel much sympathy over the international flack it's currently getting over the Ports deal.

Paint a man a dog and hang him. It works both ways.

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11 Comments:

Blogger grapeshisha said...

This has darked me out on a beautiful day. We continue to ask the questions of these situations, and yet a blind eye is always turned. I am as disgusted as I am angry as I am sad - something needs to be done not just for this poor girl, but for those who are too scared to speak up, and for those who will no doubt have to go through this despicable inhumane crime again.

13 March, 2006 13:29  
Blogger samuraisam said...

I honestly wouldn't bother responding to balushi, he is obviously trolling.

13 March, 2006 18:30  
Blogger Hot Lemon& Honey said...

Ok SD lets not get two things mixed up...the DP and the women's right issue...
I must agree that in this culture (I emphasise culture cause its only the culture) women always get the blame for such things, its an anutomatic assupmtion, only a minority would actually blame the man. Its a fact.
It is wrong, only when the people start thinking differently and make men responsible for their actions, thats when the justice system will change..

But lets leave the DP thing out of it...cause other countries with other immoral acts still hold good trades and have the sympathy of countries who claim "justice"..

13 March, 2006 18:41  
Blogger Hot Lemon& Honey said...

Yes, the story in Gulf news is different..in Gulf News it indicated that the case is still not over.
Anyways..both ways it sucks..
She is getting the lashes cause I assume she is Muslim from the name..but what I can't understand is why is she getting 5 years and the guys 3 months?!
And if those guys lied to the lawyer about their story...I would (if I was the judge) question everything they said!
:(
:(
:(

13 March, 2006 20:42  
Blogger obaid almulla said...

first people stop talking this story out of proportion before knowing what is the real story there are two stories as reported in KT she was raped but in GN she had prostituntion ring. this shows the kind of reporting we have in this country low quality reporting.

first if she was raped it was mistrial she shouldnt imprisoned or lashed.

seconed if she was leading a prostitution ring it was right to imprison her

here is the link to GN
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Police_and_The_Courts/10025027.html

13 March, 2006 23:31  
Blogger Shaper85 said...

I remember the Touria Tiouli case - even though she must have gone through hell, she was lucky to have the backing of her government who provided her with a lawyer and was able to get bail rather than rot in custody at the Womens Prison.
I think this really sums up the perception of people here:

"A spokesman for the Union of French Citizens Abroad said: "While she is French, she will be seen there as Moroccan and Muslim. In the United Arab Emirates, North Africans are really the lowest of the low." "

14 March, 2006 11:59  
Blogger SIN said...

I recall an incident that occured during my cub years in Dubai. During a conversation I had with one of the heads of Dubai Police, he recited a rape case to me that occured in Sharjah several years ago.

A lady was gang-raped there and the Shj. courts found her dressed indecently during the incident - hence enticing the men to this heinous act.

While I displayed shock over this verdict, the proud member of Dubai's Finest actually had the audacity to argue with me, saying ‘She was asking for it all along'. Needless to say, I walked out in dsigust.

14 March, 2006 14:31  
Blogger Samawel said...

Without much to say, it did really infuriate me when I read it... Was going to post something up, but was too furious to write something worth reading.

Maybe some day there would be some fixing up of the Justice system here.

14 March, 2006 16:22  
Blogger obaid almulla said...

yes the justice system has to be updated but also the reporting of newspapers have to be upto standard.

newspapers should be held responsible by courts for what they reprot not in anyway for censuring or contorling them but to have them be accountable!!!!!!!!

14 March, 2006 21:20  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know I am a bit late here but "The Truth" is right in that sex is used to humiliate people in this area of the world. There was a case in 04 in KSA I remember vividly of a girl rejecting a guy and so he and his friends filmed themselves raping her and then disseminated it. The guys were caught, of course, dunno what happened after that.

Maybe I am just in my own cultural bubble, but that is just SICK!!!!!!!

26 October, 2007 14:15  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think many women coming to the UAE should be aware of the general mentality out here. You may see high rise buildings and the latest accessories that money can buy and equate this with progress; but then you are foolish. The people of this country are highly uneducated, you need to reason that 60 years ago they were roaming the desert & had very little influence from the outside world. Laws were upheld by each family head and everyone kept each other in check through family links.

Then they were 'blessed' with wealth and all values fell away in their quest for more money - GREED the root of all evil: poorly educated but extremely wealthy here was your potent mix for the creation of a second generation of mis fits/lunatics.

The disparity between generations is huge and further confusion is bought on by Hollywood movies, MTV & endless wealth to create the ultimate Kafir society. Here the the principles of Islam have been interpreted to enhance lawlessness and oppression against the weak.

Many people come here because they are desperate and poor but they come with hope of something better. This place will sink you in a hole and strip away at your hope leaving you weak and lost with no dignity.

Be afraid be very AFRAID - Do not leave your family & friends to come to hell!

22 December, 2007 13:42  

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