A Norwegian woman who was allegedly raped in Dubai, then sentenced to 16 months in jail for having sex outside of marriage said she is speaking out to draw attention to the risks of visitors misunderstanding the Islamic-influenced laws in the United Arab Emirates, The Associated Press reported. Marte Deborah Dalelv, 24, who worked for an interior design firm in Qatar, claims a co-worker assaulted her while at a business meeting in Dubai. He received a 13-month sentence for the same charge and alcohol consumption. She was detained for four days, since out-of-wedlock sex is illegal in the UAE, although the law is not actively enforced for tourists as well as hundreds of thousands of Westerners and others on resident visas, according to the AP. The sentencing has drawn outrage from activist groups, including the Emirates Center for Human Rights, which called for the UAE to expand legal protections for alleged rape victims. Dalev is currently preparing her appeal scheduled for early September.
