An expert on Dubai’s repressive legal system has warned women that its reputation as a ‘safe, glamorous, crime-free destination’ is far from reality after a Ukrainian model was found badly injured
Women have been warned that Dubai’s crime-free image is a ‘myth’ after a model was found battered and bruised by a roadside. The 20-year-old woman, from Ukraine, suffered multiple serious injuries, including broken limbs and a fractured spine.
She was discovered 10 days after being missing, and was last known to have attended an event at a Dubai hotel with “two men from the modelling business”. It is feared she may have been coerced into attending a ‘porta potty party’, where women are forced into performing vile sex acts with men.
Now, Radha Stirling from legal advocacy group Detained in Dubai has told how the incident is only the latest case of women being subjected to horrific physical and sexual assaults in the territory. Many of them are “treated as criminals themselves” by authorities in the UAE when they come forward to report the abuse they have suffered, she said.
It stands in sharp contrast to the image often projected to the world by Dubai tourism chiefs, who have spent millions promoting the emirate as a safe, modern tourist destination that caters to international visitors. Ms Stirling, who heads an organisation that represents foreigners embroiled in the UAE’s complex legal system, explained: “Dubai is relentlessly marketed as a safe, glamorous, crime-free destination, but for many women, the reality has been one of trauma, injustice and silence.
“Over the years, I’ve worked with numerous women who have been raped, drugged, assaulted or abducted in the UAE, and then treated as criminals themselves when they tried to report it.
“The latest case, involving a Ukrainian OnlyFans model who was found injured and distressed in the street after reportedly meeting a man who claimed to have powerful connections, is deeply concerning.
“Tragically, the circumstances echo a well-established pattern in the UAE, where serious incidents involving women are rarely reflected in official statistics, and alleged perpetrators often face no consequences due to influence, connections, or official indifference.
“It is not uncommon in the UAE for women to be lured under false pretences and then coerced or even forced into unwanted sexual acts. Those who commit such abuses often face no consequences, while victims are left in extremely vulnerable positions, frequently threatened with police complaints or arrest by influential individuals if they attempt to report the crime.”
Radha Stirling said that “women need to be aware that real risks do exist, and for many, these encounters have ended in violence”. These are rarely reflected UAE’s official crime statistics, and the expert lawyer claimed that embassies often “fail to issue any warnings about these dangers prior to travel.”
She referred to the case of former Apprentice star, Selina Waterman-Smith, who bravely came forward to recall a horrific gang rape she suffered in Dubai, only to be met with cold indifference and “cover up” attempts by the authorities.
The events company boss previously told of how she was left suffering flashbacks from the four-hour ordeal, which saw her pinned on the floor by a group of “laughing” men who she had tried to flee in taxi after encountering at a bar. “It was only through her tenacious pursuit of justice that her assailants were ultimately convicted”, Ms Stirling said.
Ms Stirling added: “Many victims have been too frightened to report assault or rape to authorities, fully aware that they may themselves, face arrest. Instead, they have confided their abuse in us or in some cases, spoken to media after their safe return home.
“Dubai’s justice system routinely fails victims of sexual violence, especially foreign women. Many are too frightened to report crimes at all, knowing they risk arrest under outdated morality laws that criminalise sex outside of marriage (if married), sex in certain locations and adultery, regardless of consent. Some victims are drugged in hotels, wake up traumatised, and are told by police that they will be charged if they file a complaint.”
