To wonder whether the authorities turn a 'blind eye' to in married couples in Dubai?

[LoafersOrLouboutins]

I promise I'm not being judgy- currently PG and unmarried, but last night I went to a dinner party hosted by a friend, most people there were with their DP/DH except for a friend of a friend who was alone. She said her boyfriend was in Dubai (where he is from) and she was going to see him next week. She was happy to talk about her relationship and said that she often goes to see him and will either stay at his house or try stay in hotels together. I've only been to Dubai as a completely single or married woman (now divorced) so don't have any experience of 'in a couple but not married' in Dubai. I've always though this was strictly illegal and you could face imprisonment? Am I wrong? Is a blind eye turned or is friend of a friend just very lucky? Her boyfriend's an Emirati national of that has any relevance. I'm probably being hideously nosy but I'm genuinely curious as she seems to be in Dubai once a month with him and has never had any problems.

This thread is fascinating.
Dubai is not a place I wish to visit for many of the reasons posted on mumsnet.
But, I am learning something new reading this.

You wouldn't agree that the Emirati population in Dubai is in (admittedly well-heeled) trouble, TheCatz? Though crisis probably isn't the right word, and I'm sure lots of Dubai Emiratis wouldn't agree. But I think that a tiny population, unskilled and heavily dependent on foreign labour, living an environmentally unsustainable lifestyle in a place completely unsuitable for mass population, with increasingly little sense of who they are - I gather lots of Emirati children no longer even speak the local Arabic fluently - and significant health problems (some studies seem to indicate almost half of Emiratis are diabetic or verging on it, and not controlling the condition) is facing significant problems. Obviously they'd be different problems if the Emirsti population were poor, but they're problems regardless.

I'd be pleased to hear things had changed significantly for the better since I left in 2008, though.