Expat who took secretary job forced into prostitution

A woman who came to Dubai to work as a secretary was instead forced to work in the sex industry, hears court.

DUBAI // A woman who came to Dubai to work as a secretary was instead forced to work in the sex industry, a court heard this morning.

MR, a 29-year-old Filipina, told prosecutors that a compatriot in her home country had offered her the office job in return for a Dh3,000 monthly salary plus accommodation.

"I arrived to Dubai Airport last August and was met by two men who took me to an apartment in Riqqa area and locked me up," she told prosecutors.

She said that QA, 42, told her he was the company's manager and that SS, 26, was his driver. Both men denied charges of human trafficking at the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance. QA has also denied a charge of rape.

QA and SS, both from India, allegedly took her to an apartment and told her to forget about the secretary job. Instead, they told her to frequent bars where she would meet customers who would pay for sex.

She said she was given a mobile phone and forced to call men to offer massage and sex services, adding that she did this work for 15 days.

Prosecutors said that QA would take her to hotels to perform the services, then take the proceeds from her and take her back to the apartment.

MR said that she was raped by QA and that after this she sent a text message to a friend in Dubai with the apartment's address. Shortly afterwards, police raided the building.

Both QA and SS were arrested, but QA denied the allegations of rape, telling police the sex had been consensual. A forensics examination concluded that QA had raped MR, the court heard.

The case was adjourned to March 12.