After the video went viral, a human rights organization’s executive director responded, bringing focus to the ongoing issues of gender violence and the serious risks people face when they try to protect those affected.
On August 5, a woman who goes by the name “Anna” shared a video on her TikTok page. The clip featured a series of photographs capturing different moments from her time working in Dubai.
Overlaid on the photo was the bold text: “If you asked me about Dubai.”
The next photo in the sequence showed Anna sitting down at what looked like a traditional Emirati-style dinner setup.
A caption written across the image read: “I’d say I hated it.”
A TikToker exposed the dark side of living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The slideshow continued with a picture of Anna petting a camel in the desert.
This particular photo was accompanied by a line that said: “Her petting a camel in the desert.”
In addition to the images, Anna wrote a statement sharing her personal observation: “I’ll never forget the image of people ordering gold-covered steaks while immigrants worked in 43C heat right outside the window. “
“Walking 3 hours without seeing one piece of nature that didn’t seem fake, even the beaches and waves was artificial as some sort of dystopian hell. “
“Animals, women, immigrants, and everybody else except rich men are treated like objects. Literal hell.”
The TikTok quickly became a talking point, sparking both agreement and criticism.
One user challenged Anna’s view by asking: “Only Westerners complain about it, best part of Dubai is its safety, can you say the same about Europe / America?”
She described it as a “dystopian hell”
Someone else praised the content, commenting: “This might be the best video about Dubai I’ve ever seen.”
They went on to add their personal experience as a resident: “I can leave my car unlocked with my bag on the roof go about my day and it’s still there hours later.”
According to At Alketbi, consensual relationships between adults who are not married are generally legal in the UAE.
The executive director of a human rights organization has since reacted to the influencer’s now-viral video
One person tried to shift the focus by saying: “Girl [New York City] is the exact same if not even worse.”
Dubai has long been criticized for various human rights violations. Among these are the poor treatment and exploitation of migrant workers, who often work under harsh conditions for little pay. The country also enforces strict laws that restrict free speech and the rights of LGBTQ+ people, adding to its reputation as a place where personal freedoms are limited.
“The UAE ranks among the worst countries in term of human rights,” Khalid Ibrahim, who is the Executive Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GC4HR), shared in an email to Bored Panda.
He concluded his remarks by agreeing with the TikToker’s take, stating: “I agree about what [Anna] said in term of massive human rights violations, including women’s rights.”
The human rights advocate highlighted gender violence and the danger that comes with trying to defend victims
In the UAE, survivors of rape can face criminal charges for “illicit sex,”. This legal risk could lead to punishments like imprisonment or flogging. A notable example was a 2010 case in which an Emirati woman was sentenced to prison after reporting that she had been gang raped. This case was documented by the United Nations’ PeaceWomen platform.
One of the more recent cases shedding light on these inequalities involved Tori Towey, a flight attendant from Ireland. She was detained in Dubai after authorities charged her with trying to end her life following ongoing domestic violence.
According to reports, Tori was hospitalized with multiple injuries from an alleged beating by her husband. Following that, she found her passport had been destroyed, and she was placed under a travel ban.
During one particularly brutal incident, her husband allegedly tried to crush her arms in doors and break her bones.
After managing to escape to an upper floor in the house, she attempted to take her own life.
After the incident, the authorities arrested Tori. However, she was not informed about the reasons for her arrest or what charges were being brought against her.
On top of that, she was also charged with “attempted suicide.”
Anna’s TikTok video continued to spark various reactions
