Sex, Lies, and Video Tape in Dubai

[JCMach1]

I am posting the follow-up to the story that surfaced in the West concerning a woman who was allegedly raped in Dubai. I have found that many of these stories get picked-up in the Western media and then are never followed-up on by a media that feeds on the shock value of negative PR.


Surveillance video 'refutes hotel Briton's rape claim'

...SP, 23, a British woman of Pakistani descent who was on holiday in Dubai with her fiance, reported a rape to the police on January 1, but was arrested herself, accused of illegal sex and drinking.

“Our investigations revealed that the woman was not subject to any sexual assault, contrary to what she is claiming,” said Major Gen Khamis Mattar al Mazeina, the deputy head of the Dubai Police.

SP claimed that she was attacked by a waiter while semi-conscious in a hotel toilet. However, the police say closed-circuit television footage has confirmed that the suspect did not enter the bathroom after her.

“The woman was not assaulted in the bathroom,” said Gen al Mazeina. “Medical reports conducted also confirm that she was not assaulted.” ... http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100120/NATIONAL/701209990/1010

[done_left_austin]

1. To be honest...

... I wouldn't trust anything the Dubai police say. I'd have to see the tapes myself first. The reason for my skepticism? My sister has lived there for several years and I have heard plenty of horror stories. The UAE system treats anyone who is not arab or white worse than trash. And the double standards are just mind-boggling.

It may very well be that the woman is lying about being raped, but I don't trust the UAE system enough to believe anything without seeing the evidence with my own two eyes.

[JCMach1]

2. There were several weird things going on with the original story that had my BS meters going

It is an acquired skill here to interpret what the self-censored media is trying to say. The unsaid is often as important as what was said.

I agree to a certain extent what you have said about the police. However, at the end of the day they will always fall back to the basic facts... i.e. videotape and medical report.

Some curious facts in the case...

-Big age difference in the 'engaged' couple... we know the police questioned them about 'sex'... is there something weird going on there? For example, could the lady be a hired escort from Britain? We will never know, because this would never be published here. Of course, rape is rape that should make no difference.

-We know heavy drinking was involved, but there easily could have been drugs as well. Once again, something that wouldn't be reported.

-The big question though, if she did make a false claim, why? What's her motivation?

My main point was that the initial reaction to this story on DU was the typical kneejerk Dubai bad- West, good... That was also how the story was portrayed in the British press.

As I said, it would SHOCK ME if the British press follows-up with this story.

[Liquorice]

4. So you you think the woman who says she was raped may in fact be a prostitute. This

is unbelievably sexist. I have little doubt that the woman was raped. Dubai covers up sex crimes and blames the victims all the time. I have no reason to doubt the woman, and many reasons to doubt the veracity of the Dubai police based on their very poor history in these matters.

[JCMach1]

6. Not sexist, you have to understand the nature of this place...

I would appreciate any link you may have about Dubai police botching a rape case.

Usually they get it right unless a local is involved :sarcasm:

Social context and understanding the law here causes women many times who have been having illegal sex (not gonna argue that point) and somehow are caught to claim rape, i.e. it is not illegal if you are raped. If anything, claims like this are damaging to legitimate rape cases which, of course, there are.

Remember the Duke case? Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions.

[done_left_austin]

7. Thanks for the additional info! (n/t)

[Desperadoe]

3. closed-circuit television footage has confirmed

Closed-circuit television inside the hotel rooms? So hotel security could be observing women in the privacy of their rooms?.......burkaless, too? Having sex in the bed?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

5. "the suspect did not enter the bathroom after her."