Kremmen

A Brisbane woman is suing a five-star hotel in the United Arab Emirates after she was drugged and raped by co-workers and jailed for eight months.

In a landmark case, Alicia Gali, 29, is seeking compensation from her former employer, Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort, for breaching its workplace duty of care.

In June 2008 Ms Gali had her drink spiked and was raped by up to four co-workers while working as a beauty salon manager at the international resort.

When she reported the assault to authorities she was jailed on an adultery charge and spent eight months in prison because it is illegal in the UAE to have sex outside marriage.

Complete ABC News story

Shantanu

I am shocked and horrified. You used to hear stories like this coming out of Pakistan years ago, however, I am shocked to hear that the legal system of a country can be so misogynous.....especially somewhere that attempts to welcome foreigners.

Starwood Lurker

The management of Le Méridien Al Aqah is aware of the unfortunate circumstances that occurred in June 2008 concerning Alicia Gali, a former employee of the hotel. The matter was investigated thoroughly by local United Arab Emirates authorities at that time. Upon completion of the investigation, and after obtaining statements from Ms. Gali as well as other hotel staff and third parties, the local authorities applied local laws and determined that it was appropriate to incarcerate Ms. Gali and the other individuals involved in this matter.

The hotel management provided support and assistance to Ms. Gali and her family throughout this time including assisting with medical support, arranging for financial support, assistance with the investigation, liaising with her representative embassy and arranging for her family to come to the UAE from Australia.

As this matter is part of an open investigation, we cannot comment further at this time.

The safety and security of our associates continues to be a paramount priority.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Social Media Specialist
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

Shantanu

I wouldn't dream to comment on the property's response at all...... just the local laws!

corbetti

Um, yeah... cause this never happens in the UK or Australia, right?

PTravel

If a woman is raped in the UK or Australia she's charged with adultery?

Shantanu

I have never heard of a woman being charged with adultery after being raped in the UK..... you have? I don't know anything about Australia.....but I would imagine the legal system is very similar to that of the UK.

matthewf

Nope, but rapes do happen (at an alarming rate) and those victims that do come forward and report the crime are often treated like the bought it on themselves. Especially when there are substances involved.

UK/Aussie/all of the white western world is still very much a mans place.

It's good to be a bloke

schley

This is a real travesty. The fact that a women can be victimized and then become a victim of the legal system which is predicated on old testament like rationale. I feel sorry for this women and although I don't know where Starwoods should be held liable, I certainly think this is a PR disaster for the UAE to Western countries.

Shantanu

I'm a gynaecologist (gynecologist), so I used to give evidence as an expert witness in court once in a while in rape cases.....not anymore....and the police were fantastic, and the courts seemed to treat the women very sensitively. When I was a hospital doctor, we would often call the police in where we suspected rape, and/or abuse, and again, they were fabulous. Whilst I have not experienced what you have described, I can believe that it exists.

phlashba

I can't imagine how any woman will ever feel safe visiting UAE after knowing this. What I really want to say is not printable so I will just leave it at that.

phlashba

Excuse me?

James Luckard

Come on. Nobody is saying rapes don't happen in the West, they're saying the victims are not put in prison for having been raped.

I also feel a little bit of sympathy for the Starwood rep above, who is obliged to use the revolting statement that "the local authorities applied local laws and determined that it was appropriate to incarcerate Ms. Gali."

NJUPINTHEAIR

This is the nub of the problem:

http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/q...#ixzz1I14xalcE

The above law is based upon the Koran.

Unfortunately, I heard this very thing this morning about the corageous Libyan woman who alleged she was raped by Quadaffi loyalists.

Now, she is being sued by the individuals she made the allegations against for slander.

In addition, although the Libyan authorities say she was released to her home, her parents have said she has never returned from custody.

Finally, some in the Libyan media have reportedly said that she was a mentally unbalanced prosititute.

These matters cry out for a change in the respective countries' judicial system, as the above-noted case is truly a perversion of justice.

PTravel

This is what you wrote:

"Um, yeah... cause this never happens in the UK or Australia, right?"

And the answer is: no, this never happens in the UK or Australia (or anywhere else in the west).