Woman seeks divorce in Dubai Sharia Court after ‘repeated assault’

The Emirati woman now lives with her parents as she says she could not handle the physical abuse and the fact her husband would tell his family about their intimate relations.

DUBAI // A woman has filed for divorce after alleging that her husband repeatedly talked about their marital relations to his family members.

M A told Dubai Sharia Court that she married fellow Emirati H A in August 2013 and that he had assaulted her since that time. She said she told no one of the assaults and hoped that he would change. She then gave birth to a girl, who is now six months old, and she decided to stay with her husband to try to fix their marriage.

Court records stated that the woman lived in a room at her husband’s family home in Ajman, where his parents, brother and his wife and two sisters all lived. She said her husband repeatedly told them of their problems and sexual relations. In May, she said she was again assaulted by H A and that she suffered multiple injuries.

She fled to her family’s home in Dubai but her husband kept hold of her clothes, shoes, jewellery, official documents and her laptop, which contains their wedding pictures and photos of her with friends.

She said he also kept hold of their daughter’s jewellery and clothes and refused to give them to her. Her divorce request to the court stated that she wanted Dh10,000 a month in alimony and child support, as well as annual payments of Dh120,000 for rent and Dh30,000 for furniture, and that the husband pay all her bills and cover the cost of recruiting a maid.

The husband told the court that from when they married, they did not live with his parents, but he was not able to present documents to back his claim. He also argued that he is facing financial difficulties and is unable to pay alimony and the other costs, adding that he already pays his parents’ living costs.

However, the wife told judges that he does not have any financial difficulties and recently bought a new 4X4 Lexus, a motorbike and possessed six mobile phones. She also disputed his suggestion that he pays his parents’ way and said that his father works and also receives a monthly retirement salary, as does his mother.

The trial continues.