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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not understand how anyone would go to Dubai

226 replies

GladAllOver · 17/11/2016 16:36

A woman reports being raped, and is promptly arrested for having non-marital sex. And this isn't the first time. How can anyone choose to go to such a savage, uncivilised place?

news.sky.com/story/british-woman-arrested-in-dubai-after-reporting-rape-10660134

OP posts:
Dingarees · 17/11/2016 20:56

you unthinking idiots!

Blush
itsmine · 17/11/2016 20:56

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SpunkyMummy · 17/11/2016 20:57

But yes, it is a beautiful country.

I visited once when I was younger. (Late teens/early 20ies, which isn't that long ago, tbh.)

But nowadays? No, I wouldn't want to winter in Dubai.

SpunkyMummy · 17/11/2016 20:58

Shoot, that was a quotation.

I find it incredible that anyone goes there. Aside from the ethical issues (did you go on holiday in apartheid South Africa, you unthinking idiots?) it looks a truly vile and vulgar place.

This. It's beautiful, but there are so many issues...

ohdearme1958 · 17/11/2016 20:59

We passed through the airport, once... ! That was quite enough for me, no way would I visit as a holiday maker, between the overpowering heat, even at 3 in the morning, the smell and general attitudes towards women would make me stay well away

Are you sure you were in Dubai?

itsmine · 17/11/2016 21:00

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kilmuir · 17/11/2016 21:00

Not keen on Dubai, prefer Abu Dhabi.

veiledsentiments · 17/11/2016 21:00

I don't even live in Dubai!

SpunkyMummy · 17/11/2016 21:01

The emirates really are beautiful. (At least what I remember... blush. Don't ask)

And I think I really liked Dubai, I think I really loved our stay, I was mesmerised by the city, so, if you can get over the many issues I think visiting is worth it.

Amandahugandkisses · 17/11/2016 21:02

Getting raped in the uk is bad enough. There I dread to think

AntiqueSinger · 17/11/2016 21:03

'UAE Built on slave labour' I agreee that's disgusting but.....

Did you pay any attention during black history month? So at one time was this country. Selective attention??

We used to hang people - there are even records of children - for stealing

Once we had no law against a man raping his wife.

I'm old enough to remember when domestic violence was treated as a personal family affair. Before it was rightly challenged and improved

In this country centuries ago, people were burned at the stake/beheaded/hanged for professing a different religion, or opposite political views.

Once women had no right to vote. A woman had to die before it changed

Once it was legal to hit your wife, as long as it didn't leave a mark

Once it was illegal to practice 'buggery'

A few decades ago, it was acceptable to give children the strap in school.

A few decades ago, women who had sex outside of marriage and got pregnant had their babies forcibly adopted.

Our democracy and social values have come about through centuries of progressive thinking and challenge, and continues to adapt. We've been pretty barbaric. But you feel you can take the high horse and sneer over countries that have yet to get there? Talk about white washing of history.

Also, we have had an illegal war in Iraq on the justification of false evidence and killed hundreds of thousands and been complicit in the oil for food program which affected Iraq terribly, Plus we are now one of the biggest exporters of weapons to the Saudi states which are devastating Yemen.

Glass houses. Stones. Stop getting all your info from mainstream newspapers which describe the war in Iraq as a 'mistake' instead of a war crime, and denigrate countries the establishment would like to undermine.

QuintessentialShadow · 17/11/2016 21:06

How Tony Blair is not facing charges is beyond me.

veiledsentiments · 17/11/2016 21:06

And yet you chose not to follow up on any other of my points itsmine except the one I made about the weather.

When I decide to move on, I will. But not because of any of the ill informed out of touch, not knowing nonsense I have read on here tonight. Arm chair socialists, rather than realists.

StrawberryLime · 17/11/2016 21:10

If I'm lumped in with the "arm chair socialists" I'm actually rather tickled at that Grin
First time I've ever been accused of being one if so! Grin

itsmine · 17/11/2016 21:12

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QuintessentialShadow · 17/11/2016 21:14

In the old days, people did not need to know so much. Like my grandparents, or even my parents (in their 80s and 90s), and for sure they knew very little about what happened out of town, let alone abroad.

I think there are limits to what we can know and understand, the world is big and complicated, many people, many cultures, much history, many languages. We cant all know everything, or make sense of everything. We have this one brain, and fantastic as it is, it has limits, and it is flawed. But I do believe that most of us do the best we can. None of us want to be ignorant iditots. We mostly try not to be.

PoisonousSmurf · 17/11/2016 21:17

Dubai is built on the blood and sweat of slave labour. In your face oppulence and hatred to women.
Why is it even a holiday destination?

QuintessentialShadow · 17/11/2016 21:18

Because they want to diversify and not be so dependent on oil.

Bitofacow · 17/11/2016 21:20

Antiquesinger "Stop getting all your info from mainstream newspapers"

I don't get much information from newspapers. Perhaps, maybe more than once, I have directed people to the Amnesty and HRW websites. It's odd but no one seems to be doing that. Strange.

Also, I previously pointed out that, once all sorts of bad things happened in all sorts of places. Now it is 2016 everywhere, no matter how new your country is. I think relatively new countries like Czechia may be insulted if you implied they could lower the bar on human rights.

Veiled I don't want to be rude but you don't seem to be following up on any of my posts. Amnesty and HRW are not "I'll informed" why do you think they are?

itsmine · 17/11/2016 21:20

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QuintessentialShadow · 17/11/2016 21:23

The Canary Islands are also warm and sunny all the time. There you risk seeing lots of sunburnt retired folk, but that is a risk I gladly take....

PrimeraVez · 17/11/2016 21:24

Ok I'm going to bow out. I don't want to out myself but my job entails working very closely with several of the organizations named in this thread and I assure you, things aren't always as black and white as you may believe.

I will also continually defend the UAE on many (no, not all) fronts. Attitudes are shifting, legislation is being continually revised to address many of the problems and downfalls that have been discussed on this thread. Of course, things do not change overnight, and there are 'bad' people across the world who will never care about doing the right thing. But there is a strong commitment right from the very top to continue to drive towards becoming an open, tolerant, safe and happy society for people of all nationalities, cultures and economic backgrounds. And progress is being made at a phenomenal rate. It attracts millions of tourists, expats, corporates, start ups and students ever year for some very good reasons.

itsmine · 17/11/2016 21:27

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booklooker · 17/11/2016 21:28

Dear OP,

So nice to have found a holiday destination that you wouldn't have found exception with
.
So did we!!!

We are having a smashing time in Uxbridge. There are so few tourists here, it's almost as if you can blend in as a local yourself, though I am not sure I would recommend the bar known locally as "The Spoons", it seems rather rough.

Food and drink are "Just Like Home Made" in Uxbridge, I didn't find it at all to difficult to locate a Costa.

Ooh, I have completely forgotten what we were talking about.

Wish you were here..

Booklover

QuintessentialShadow · 17/11/2016 21:29

I have stayed at Jumeriah Beach, I have dined at the Golf Club, and I have been for drinks at the Burj Al Arab. On that basis I agree it is money and no taste.

I was impressed with the water fountains though.