Revealed: The hidden struggles and shocking domestic crises of Indian expats in the UAE

Sharjah: From shocking family conflicts to cases involving drug abuse and mental health crises, a growing number of Indian expats have been turning to the Indian Association Sharjah (IAS) for help and intervention.

In the wake of two tragic suicides involving women from Kerala, the association launched a family dispute redressal initiative, R.I.S.E., on Saturday, August 2, in coordination with the Sharjah Police’s Community Preventive and Protection Department and the Consulate General of India in Dubai.

Youseph Sagheer K.S., a veteran committee member and key figure behind R.I.S.E., said that distress cases began pouring in soon after the initiative was first announced at the end of July.

“The cases we’re seeing reveal deep-rooted problems that go far beyond mere marital disagreements.”
A long-time UAE resident of more than 40 years, Sagheer said the patterns emerging have been “eye-opening.”

“Surprisingly, it's not the newlyweds but couples married for about 10 years who are now coming forward with serious domestic problems.”

“These are often petty issues. In most cases, the couples don’t listen to each other anymore – they simply co-exist. Most are dual-income households, yet emotional neglect and a lack of communication are fuelling long-term damage.”

In one case, a man wanted to separate from his wife after eight years of marriage. While he moved out, the wife resisted divorce. The man initially paid Dh1,500 monthly for the children’s expenses but eventually stopped. The woman approached the court, which then reportedly imposed a travel ban on him. The husband now pleads to be allowed to return to Kerala to arrange funds, but the wife refuses to let him leave the UAE.

Not all conflicts are between spouses. A case involving two educated sisters from a well-off family exposed toxic sibling rivalry. “They’re both working professionals but constantly at each other’s throats. Their father, a contractor, doesn’t take sides and is now a helpless spectator. The verbal abuse is relentless.”

In one disturbing case, a 34-year-old man and his 30-year-old wife – both parents to a young child – admitted during intervention that they were drug addicts.
“It was a love marriage. The husband would call his in-laws back in Kerala on video calls and threaten to kill their daughter. The terrified parents sent her mother to Sharjah. During counselling, the couple admitted to drug use and alcohol abuse,” Sagheer said.

Another shocker: A couple has been living under the same roof for over a decade without speaking to each other.
“There is zero communication, yet they continue to live together. These are the kinds of cases that, if left unaddressed, can boil over into suicide or even murder,” Sagheer warned.

While premarital counselling has become a common practice, IAS stresses that post-marital counselling is now the real need of the hour.
“People are silently suffering. Emotional and mental health is being neglected. We need to intervene early,” Sagheer said.

R.I.S.E. is an acronym for the new initiative, standing for Reach, Inspire, Support, and Empower. To tackle this growing crisis, IAS has mobilised about 25 trained psychological counsellors from Sharjah Indian School, managed by the association, and volunteers under the R.I.S.E. programme. A dedicated panel comprising management, PROs, and admin staff now responds to distress calls and arranges counselling sessions.

“Most individuals just want someone to listen. They feel isolated in a foreign land. Through R.I.S.E., we want them to know they are not alone. We’re here for them,” Sagheer affirmed.

How to contact: Individuals in distress may contact the association via email at communitysupport@iassharjah.com or call the IAS office at 06-5610845.
Session timing: Every Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm for registered applicants.