Scary: British woman arrested for “illegal sex” in Dubai after rape

A 23-year-old woman from London was arrested after reporting a rape in Dubai for “illegal sex” with her fiance, unrelated to the alleged rape.

The woman, who is unnamed owing to the sexual assault aspect of the case, was celebrating her engagement in Dubai over the new year. The couple consumed alcohol during the course of the celebration, and the woman lost consciousness in the women’s restrooms. It is believed a waiter in the luxury hotel where the couple stayed followed the woman into the bathroom where the rape occurred with the woman in a semi-conscious state. After the attack, the woman’s fiance returned her to their room, unaware of the attack.

The following morning, the woman realized what had occurred and the couple visited the Jebel Ali police station to report the attack. However, the couple soon found themselves to be in legal trouble for the events surrounding the incident:

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.

The Foreign Office confirmed the arrests and that the couple had been bailed out, but offered no further information on the case.