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Woman who reported rape in Dubai sentenced to 16 months in jail

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- A Norwegian woman sentenced to 16 months in jail in Dubai for having sex outside marriage after she reported an alleged rape said Friday she decided to speak out in hopes of drawing attention to the risks of outsiders misunderstanding the Islamic-influenced legal codes in this cosmopolitan city.

The case has drawn outrage from rights groups and others in the West since the 24-year-old interior designer was sentenced Wednesday. It also highlights the increasingly frequent tensions between the United Arab Emirates' international atmosphere and its legal system, which is strongly influenced by Islamic traditions in a nation where foreign workers and visitors greatly outnumber locals.

"I have to spread the word. ... After my sentence we thought, `How can it get worse?'" Marte Deborah Dalelv told The Associated Press in an interview at a Norwegian aid compound in Dubai where she is preparing her appeal scheduled for early September.

Dalelv, who worked for an interior design firm in Qatar since 2011, claims she was sexually assaulted by a co-worker in March while she was attending a business meeting in Dubai.

She said she fled to the hotel lobby and asked for the police to be called. The hotel staff asked if she was sure she wanted to involve the police, Dalelv said.

"Of course I want to call the police," she said. "That is the natural reaction where I am from."

Dalelv said she was given a medical examination seeking evidence of the alleged rape and underwent a blood test for alcohol. Such tests are commonly given in the UAE for alleged assaults and in other cases. Alcohol is sold widely across Dubai, but public intoxication can bring charges.

The AP does not identity the names of alleged sexual assault victims, but Dalelv went public voluntarily to talk to media.

Dalelv was detained for four days after being accused of having sex outside marriage, which is outlawed in the UAE although the law is not actively enforced for tourists as well as hundreds of thousands of Westerners and others on resident visas.

She managed to reach her stepfather in Norway after being loaned a phone card by another woman in custody.

"My stepdad, he answered the phone, so I said, that I had been raped, I am in prison ... please call the embassy," she recounted.

"And then I went back and I ... just had a breakdown," she continued. "It was very emotional, to call my dad and tell him what happened."

Norwegian diplomats later secured her release and she has been allowed to remain at the Norwegian Seamen's Center in central Dubai. She said her alleged attacker received a 13-month sentence for out-of-wedlock sex and alcohol consumption.

Dubai authorities did not respond to calls for comment, but the case has brought strong criticism from Norwegian officials and activists.

"This verdict flies in the face of our notion of justice," Norway's foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, told the NTB news agency, calling it "highly problematic from a human rights perspective."

Previous cases in the UAE have raised similar questions, with alleged sexual assault victims facing charges for sex-related offenses. Other legal codes also have been criticized for being at odds with the Western-style openness promoted by Dubai.

On Thursday, Dubai police said they arrested a man who posted an Internet video of an Emirati beating a South Asian van driver after an apparent traffic altercation. Police said they took the action because images of a potential crime were "shared."

In London, a spokesman for the Emirates Center for Human Rights, a group monitoring UAE affairs, said the Dalelv case points out the need for the UAE to expand its legal protections for alleged rape victims.

"We urge authorities to reform the laws governing incidents of rape in the country," said Rori Donaghy, "to ensure women are protected against sexual violence and do not become the targets of prosecution when reporting crimes."

Reported a rape by a coworker in a business trip to Dubai, then was thrown in jail for 16 months for having sex outside of marriage. Ridiculous.
 
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Yike, this will look bad for all of the coastal states that have a high rule of law index in relation to other middle eastern nations. These more capitalistic societies are more progressive in order to garner consumers external of their nations. That is one reason why the rule of law is so important for these nation's wealth and protecting their foriegn investments. With this, maybe the world has a slightly warped perception of the rule of law in EAU and perhaps other wealthy coastal states like Kuwait, Qatar, and Oman. These states are more authoritarian than one might think, they do have monarchs, usually they tend to not apply many of their social/domestic statutes on outsiders in the metropolitan areas since they will begin to lose business. With more stories like these, they very well are running the risk of losing foreign investments and consumer confidence.
 

Belldandy

[color=teal][b]Ice-Type Fanatic[/b][/color]
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And the guy only got thirteen months... Not even for the assault, but for having "out-of-wedlock sex" AND being intoxicated. For all we know, the sex portion - which is a wrong sentence, IMO. It wasn't sex; it was an assault - only constitutes four months of that sentence.

Jeez Louise.
 
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A rape victim, of all people, being sent to prison for having sex outside of marriage?! Christ, these people couldn't tell if she's a rape victim or not.

& I thought that the American Justice system was bad! Well, there's my unpleasant surprise for the day...
 

Zet

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A rape victim, of all people, being sent to prison for having sex outside of marriage?! Christ, these people couldn't tell if she's a rape victim or not.

& I thought that the American Justice system was bad! Well, there's my unpleasant surprise for the day...
They don't want to admit it's rape. They're too accustomed to their old ways to change.
 

derozio

[b][color=red][font=helvetica][i]door-kun best boi
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Yeah, what Zetty said. Those people have rules that differ quite a lot from stuff found in most countries, tbh.

I thought the judicial system and laws in India were screwed up. But this **** puts India's situation to shame.

Yeah, what Zetty said. Those people have rules that differ quite a lot from stuff found in most countries, tbh. I doubt I'd be able to live peacefully in a country like it.

I thought the judicial system and laws in India were screwed up. But this **** is even more ridiculous. .

Yeah, what Zetty said. Those people have rules that differ quite a lot from stuff found in most countries, tbh. I doubt I'd be able to live peacefully in a country like it.

I thought the judicial system and laws in India were screwed up. But this **** is even more ridiculous. .
 
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Kura

twitter.com/puccarts
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Although very beautiful, it is reasons like this that I will never visit countries like this whose laws are based on religion and "tradition." Too dangerous and not worth it and I value my safety... I feel very sorry for everyone who lives there or everyone who has been a victim and I feel sorry for those having to be accustomed to laws like that to begin with. This report is ridiculous.
 
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I think it'll continue for a long while. They've got cash and lots of it, so there's no reason for their world to change. Even with Dubai's hypermodernism you could say, as long as their citizens are satisfied, even the most liberal and Western influences will not affect their values.

Spoiler:
From: http://www.arabianbusiness.com/raped-norwegian-woman-jailed-in-dubai-510018.html

I'm not very good with "family" "conservative values" type things, but I'm inferring that they chose not to treat her case as rape because she was drunk and so she "asked for it" and "saw it coming". If only she didn't get drunk...
 

twocows

The not-so-black cat of ill omen
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Based on the story linked, it looked to me like they determined she was lying about it. Lying about rape is a very real problem that just serves to trivialize actual rape cases. If that was the case here, her punishment is just.
 
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Based on the story linked, it looked to me like they determined she was lying about it. Lying about rape is a very real problem that just serves to trivialize actual rape cases. If that was the case here, her punishment is just.

I highly doubt that, given where this took place and their horrible attitudes towards women. And even if she did lie, over a year in jail for that is a bit steep I think.
 
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The authorities there have pardoned her, btw. And her attacker. How magnanimous of them.

Regarding the false reporting idea, false accusations of rape are very, very rare. They just get hyped to hell when they do occur. That hype, that perception held by lots of people that a large number of rape accusations are false, is one factor in why so many rapes aren't reported: Many victims feel that no one will believe them.

Considering where this happened, I would guess some of the local authorities may not even believe rape is a thing that happens.
 
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There's a reason why we call the years when religion was a heavy legal weight , 'The Dark Ages'.

On Thursday, Dubai police said they arrested a man who posted an Internet video of an Emirati beating a South Asian van driver after an apparent traffic altercation. Police said they took the action because images of a potential crime were "shared."

I see very little to connect this to the case this topic is based on. Aside from accentuating their deplorable state of government. Honestly though, every type of government has flaws, and people with dirty hands shouldn't point fingers.


Scarf, assuming that practically all reports of rape are true is the very attitude that leads to people reporting less then accurate ones; as people will always do something if they think they can get away with it.
Regardless, either arguement in such a situation is completely faulty. There is no way to gauge the number of false accusations. Unless, of course, you suppose to claim that one-hundred percent of them are exposed?


Personally, I think this is rather unsettling, but unfortunately not uncommon. The 'Legal' system in modern times is less concerned with justice and seeing the right thing done, and more so in upholding rules. And in such is it's folly, as rules can be changed; and men with deep pockets and heavy hands wouldn't have it any other way.
Retroversion in it's foulest.
 
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Scarf, assuming that practically all reports of rape are true is the very attitude that leads to people reporting less then accurate ones; as people will always do something if they think they can get away with it.

I disagree very strongly with what you're saying. Most rapes aren't reported because of fears that they won't be taken seriously. ("Oh, you were drinking at a party? Obviously it couldn't be rape." "Oh, you were wearing a short skirt? Obviously you were asking for it." and so on.) False accusations are outliers so I don't think you can really say that the attitudes of the population at large influence how many people engage in that practice or not. Regardless, even if someone is making a false accusation it is better to assume they aren't and go through the legal process because it is most likely that they aren't lying and it's better to have a few lies slip through that can be caught later than have rape victims being dismissed.

Alternately, I could say that not believing rape victims is the very attitude that emboldens rapists who'll think they can get away with what they do.

Anyway, it's not as if the assumption is all there is. It's just a starting point so that people will keep an open mind and not immediately dismiss a rape victim. If we accept that most of the time an accusation is made because someone really was raped then we're (hopefully) going to be much less likely to dismiss the accusation (with the "you-were-asking-for-it" and other excuses).

Of course I'm just talking about western countries. In places like the Middle East attitudes are obviously quite different.
 
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Haste makes waste. In this case it shows through as disarray within your argument.
Please allow me to direct your attention to the part of my statement that you seem to have missed:

"Regardless, either argument in such a situation is completely faulty."

I was being dialectical.
Furthermore, it's illogical to say that making assumptions allows you to keep an open mind. To make an assumption is to form a theory before you learn the facts. When you have a theory before the facts, you'll bend them to fit what you assumed.

By the way. . .
You're saying that "Most rapes aren't reported because of fears that they won't be taken seriously." Now, If they aren't reported, then how can you say 'most rapes aren't reported'? In other words, how can you denote there to be a large number, if they aren't even mentioned by the victims?

It's quite apparent that you feel strongly about this, but when you let your sympathy influence your judgement, it leads to innocent people being prosecuted.

To further stess my standing, I do not, and wouldn't assume honesty, nor deceit with any such matter.
"As our case is new, we must think and act anew. "
 
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Based on the story linked, it looked to me like they determined she was lying about it. Lying about rape is a very real problem that just serves to trivialize actual rape cases. If that was the case here, her punishment is just.

Okay, she was blacked out when he started to rape her. You can't give consent if you're not conscious. It's also a common tactic to say that rape victims are only lying about it. Lying about rape is not a problem. People assuming that people lie about rape is a massive problem. Only 2% of rape reports are false.* That's why the majority of rapes go unreported.** Rape is the most common unreported crime in the world. It's also the case in the US. There are judges in the United States that have sent rape victims to prison and let the attacker go. Not to mention that whenever a rape case goes public, the perpetrators are also presented by the media as being victims who are losing their futures. Poor them. Meanwhile, the rape victim is harassed for being a monster and a **** in her everyday life because of it. Look at the post above for a case in point of this outrageous attitude.

* Source: http://well.wvu.edu/articles/rape_myths_and_facts
** Source: http://www.rainn.org/get-information/statistics/reporting-rates

So, yeah, Paladin, we're not just making things up. We're not lying about it.
 
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It's funny how polarized the argument is, that even bringing up the possibility of false rape accusations is perceived as rubbing the wrong way and unacceptable. Objectively, these false accusations do occur, as we've seen in the statistics provided - even though they are a minority, and that to me gives them ground to be addressed. We don't know what went on, she could've been telling the truth, or maybe she didn't. To me, there is a lot of grey area and alcohol was involved, so who knows where their intentions and thought patterns were. Personally, I am of the idea that consent, like most other things in life, isn't black and white. Yes, I guess that's on the record and I'll never have a political career if this goes to light so shoot me. But as long as you can go from yes to kinda to maybe to sorta to no, well, that's to me how you oughta treat it - conclusion being that there's no one way you oughta treat it. I know that's not very politically acceptable, but it makes sense to me.

Just making a comment about the "glass walls" in this discussion.
 
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@Psycho:
. . .
Okay, seriously, did you even read all of my post?

I'll try once more, in that case, to elaborate.

Regardless of figures, statistics, or estimations, every case is different. As such, each case should be approached with a fresh mind, and perspective. Just because Johnny raped Susie, doesn't mean that Tom definitely raped Ann.
I have not called you, nor Scarf, a lier. My point in asking what you were getting your assumptions from was not to infer as such, but rather that you would hopefully read what you link. Such numbers are merely estimations, which are unstable grounds to base a statement on.
The case of the matter is that both rape and false reports of it are real problems. Increasingly so if you add in the fact that lives are ruined at the mere mention of an accusation. This stigma effects both the accuser, and the defendant. Doubtlessly believing either one, whether it be the accuser or the defendant, will only end in making matters worse.

As there seems to be a disconnection somewhere between what I'm saying, or trying to, and what you're reading, or not, I will try to be more clear. I kindly ask that rather then meaning to cruxify my perspective as 'An Outrageous Attitude', you endeavor to be more civil in your disagreeing.


In this particular case, I have damned neither the alleged victim, nor the accused. All I said was that basing a legal system on religious beliefs is hogwash. I personally do not believe that I have enough facts to judge intelligently.


As a post note, I feel the need to clear up a possibly vague matter:
Have no doubt that if I were to encounter or find anybody being raped that I would not beat the **** out of the assailant. Despite my suspicion of any and everybody, I do indeed have morals.
However, as you most probably know, I have neglected the sympathetic, and protective urges that I initially felt, and opted for a colder veiw. I actually believe in 'Innocence until proven else', and as such I feel it my duty to consider all possibilities.
 
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Paladin, we won't learn any facts unless we entertain the possibility that a woman who claims rape was actually raped. If you believe she's lying then you don't investigate, don't learn anything, and there is no justice.

We know of the levels of unreported rapes because of things like victimizations surveys which show that when someone doesn't report a rape to the police they may report it to a non-police person such a manager, teacher, family member, etc. or not at all. This is in the US anyway. We can infer it (not reporting) is worse in countries with weaker police forces and greater amounts of lawlessness.

Basically, what I am saying is that there is what is called a 'rape culture' which makes it harder to be believed when you tell someone you were raped and hard to get justice and because a lot of people, a lot of women in particular, know this is an unwritten rule, or because they internalize the culture themselves, don't report rapes because they think nothing will come of it, they'll be targeted for making an accusation (getting themselves put on trial in the court of public opinion), or because they don't realize what happened to them was rape and/or wasn't their fault.
 
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Eh, when I say that I consider all possibilities, that's one of them. . .
And even if I did believe that she was lying, I would still investigate. Under the possibility that she was lying, what would cause her to publicly say that she was raped, if such wasn't the case? What could make her willing to? Innocence in one regard doesn't mean innocence regardless.

Personally I take those with a grain of salt. I'm sure that they are mostly accurate, but under the possibility. . .

Yes, thank you! Intelligently written, and most agreeable.
The omnipresent psychological strain, and the shame that results from being raped is a prefectly valid point. From said stress, both emotional and mental, you can easily infer a large amount of unreported cases, albeit, not a percentage, but a large number, regardless. Much better standing for intelligent perception.
 

Silais

That useless reptile
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I still can't believe that people think that because some women lie about rape that every woman that says they were raped deserves extreme scrutiny and mistrust. Why are we putting pressure on the victims? Yes, some women say they were raped when they were not—so what? This is victim blaming at its finest. When we begin to mistrust those that bring crimes against humanity into the light, we begin to lose our humanity.
 
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