Raped Norwegian Expat Pardoned In Dubai

The Norwegian woman who was raped by a colleague on a business trip to Dubai has been "pardoned."  Marte Deborah Dalelv is free to leave Dubai. One would hope that women might think twice before choosing to live in a Middle Eastern country where such draconian laws can land a rape victim in jail. Being "pardoned" for being raped is as egregious as the sentence itself, though I'm happy that she can get the hell out of dodge.

A Norwegian woman at the center of a Dubai rape claim dispute said Sunday that officials have dropped her 16-month sentence for having sex outside marriage and she is free to leave the country.
"I am very, very happy," Marte Deborah Dalelv told The Associated Press. "I am overjoyed."
The sentence against the 24-year-old Dalelv last week stirred widespread outrage in the West and highlighted the frequent clash between Dubai's Western-friendly image and its Islamic-based legal codes.

Dalelv claimed she was raped in March by a co-worker, but was charged with having sex outside marriage after going to the police. Her decision to go public about the sentence last week in a series of interviews appeared to put pressure on authorities in Dubai and tarnish the city's reputation as a cosmopolitan hub, including possible fallout on its high-profile bid for the 2020 World Expo.

"I have my passport back. I am pardoned," said Dalelv, who worked for an interior design firm in Qatar and was in Dubai for a business meeting when the alleged rape took place.

More here.

UPDATE: Norwegian Rape Victim Gets 16 Months Jail Time In Dubai

UPDATE: 7/22/13 Marte, who was working for Janet Jackson's Qatari billionaire husband's company- Al Mana Interiors- was fired from her job. Her co-worker rapist received 3 months less of a jail sentence than she did.

UPDATE:  More info on the Norwegian woman. Marte Deborah Dalelv is an interior designer living in Qatar.

Only in a Muslim country would a woman be victimized twice: raped and then jailed. And tragically it happens all the time.  Although it often happens to Muslim women, this time the victim was a non-Muslim foreigner.

A 25-year-old Norwegian woman on a business trip in Dubai was raped last March. When she went to the police to report the sexual assault, rather than arresting the rapist, they confiscated her passport and dumped her in jail because they did not believe her story.  So she gets to spend 16 months in prison for being raped, although the official sentence was for sex outside of marriage, drinking alcohol and perjury.

The United Arab Emirates is probably trying to discourage women from reporting rapes because it would give the nation a bad image.

This is what Sharia law gets you, a free pass for the rapist since he won't be convicted unless he confesses (as if he would), or if four adult Muslim males witness the rape, which means men never get convicted. 

Raped Afghan Woman Gets Choice of 12 Years In Jail or Marry Her Rapist

Imagine getting raped and then being forced to make a decision between two equally horrendous choices:

A. marry your rapist or
B. 12 years in jail.

This is what a young Afghan woman, Gulnaz, faces after her cousin's husband allegedly violated her 2 years ago at the age of 19. Convicted of adultery, courtesy of Islamic Afghan law, she still could face being killed by family members who feel they have been dishonored.  The rapist, who denies he raped her, is also in jail, admits as much. But according to him, it won't be his family who will kill her, it will be her family.  

Gulnaz says of the rape,

He had filthy clothes on as he does metal and construction work,’ she told CNN in an exclusive interview.

‘He closed doors and windows. I started screaming, but he shut me up by putting his hands on my mouth,’ she said.

Faced with having to spend 12 years in jail, along with the child she gave birth to as a result of the rape, she has said she is willing to marry her rapist.

I was asked if I wanted to start a new life by getting released, by marrying this man’.

She added: ‘My daughter is a little innocent child. Who knew I would have a child in this way. A lot of people told me that after your daughter's born give it to someone else, but my aunt told me to keep her as proof of my innocence.

I'm sure there are those who might be skeptical about the rape allegations, but even if it was consensual (which I doubt) 12 years for adultery?

Only in Islam is the female victim re-victimized.



Source: Dailymail