This week, two terrible stories have surfaced in the UAE, once again demonstrating the injustices migrant workers suffer at the hands of those who are in charge of upholding the law.
In the first case, an Ethiopian maid who was raped - Opens in new tabby her Emirati sponsor's 15-year-old son was kept locked up by her sponsors for nine months until she gave birth. Once authorities found out that the woman is not married to a man in the UAE, she was arrested. The maid and the rapist were tried for having sex outside of wedlock. The rapist was sent to juvenile detention and the woman was sentenced to three months in prison (following which she should expect deportation). The court accepted the version of the rapist who claimed that the maid seduced him and convinced him to have sex with her.
The second case, reported in Emirati newspapers this week, involves an Indonesian maid employed in the home of an Emirati policeman. According to the 25-year-old maid, the policeman raped her 14 times and threatened to kill her if she went to the police. While the policeman claims that he is not guilty, his wife stated - Opens in new tabthat she saw her husband molesting the young maid three times. The maid described one instances of the rape to 7 Days - Opens in new tab: "During Ramadan I used to stay in my room in the morning and on one occasion he came in and asked to have sex but I refused. He punched me, took off my clothes and raped me. His wife was taking the children to school." The 35-year-old policeman has been charged with beating, raping and threatening to kill the maid and is now on trial in Dubai.