Steps Dubai Police takes when dealing with victims.
In any case of assault, if a victimised woman comes to a police station in Dubai to complain that her husband is beating her, the duty officer will take down her statement. He does not register a case, he will merely take down her statement. The case will then be transferred to the Human Rights Care and Social Services Section at that police station.
"This is our attempt at reconciliation between the two persons and very often takes hours, sometimes even days. No effort is spared, no stone is left unturned at trying to reconcile the differences. We try our best to narrow the gap between the aggrieved parties," says Laila Ahmed Al Mulla, who, along with her assistant Warrant Officer Mohsen All Shalalee, manages all the human rights cases for the Bur Dubai, Al Awir as well as Jebel Ali areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the Bur Dubai Police Station.
"In most cases, agreements are reached between the two parties and signed in the presence of the Human Rights officer without taking any kind of legal recourse. Human rights officials then write to the police station stating the issue has been sorted out. As a result, the file stays with this section, remaining completely confidential with no case registered with the police," explains First Warrant Officer at Bur Dubai Police Station, Mutasim Awad.
"Sometimes, it takes a long time to resolve a particular issue. And if we feel a compromise will not be fair to one party and that party is not agreed to this, we send the file across to the police station, thus registering a criminal complaint. The case then moves to the public prosecutor's office," says Al Mulla.
So what happens when, in this case, the victim is forced to return to her home and her violent situation? What if she is attacked again?
"To ensure protection and safety, the Human Rights section takes a written undertaking from the spouse not to beat or harass the victim, till the case is heard in the court. Moreover, if the victim faces any threat at all again, she can call the duty officer at any police station and the case will be reinvestigated instantly," says Al Mulla.
