A 28-year-old woman in Qatar reported being raped and shockingly became a suspect in the case herself. Paola Schietekat worked as a behavioral economist with the World Cup preparation committee when the alleged assault happened. She was allegedly attacked by someone who she thought was a friend in her own apartment.
According to Toofab.com, Schietekat reported the incident to the police only to see her assailant going free. Later, she was told that she is facing 100 lashes and 7 years in jail for 'extramarital sex.'
On top of it, Schietekat's lawyer told her that the only way out of this was to marry her attacker. A graduate of both the American University of Kuwait and the University of Oxford, Schietekat narrated her harrowing ordeal on julioastillero.com.
Attacker Snaked into her Apartment at Night
Schietekat, who hails from Mexico, was working in Qatar in June 2021 as a behavioral economist at the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, which is responsible for organizing the 2022 World Cup.
She noted that on the night of June 6, 2021, an 'acquaintance, whom she considered a friend, from the Latino community in Doha got into her apartment at night, while she was sleeping.' She stressed that in Doha, being one of the safest cities in the world, people often don't close doors at night solely relying on building security.
"After a brief struggle, as his strength exceeded mine, I ended up on the floor. Hours later, bruises appeared all over my left arm, shoulder, and back," she said.
Police Complaint
Schietekat then informed her mom about the incident and noted that she 'documented everything with photos, so that my memory, in an attempt to protect itself, would not minimize the events or completely erase part of them.'
Schietekat spent the night at a hotel fearing that her attacker might return. In the morning, she obtained a medical certificate and went to the police station, along with a Qatari Mexican consul.
She was given three options by the police, file for a restraining order, press charges or do nothing. On the advice of the consul, Schietekat pressed charges and signed the document which was in Arabic. She also provided the details of her attacker.
The Attacker Alleged that the Victim was his Girlfriend
Schietekat further said that she was called to the police station hours later at 9 pm on the same day. When she reached the police station, she found her assailant standing in front of her.
She was interrogated for around three hours in Arabic, during which the police even demanded her virginity test. Schietekat noted that police assured her that the interrogation was just to make sure there was no romantic relationship between her and the attacker, who had alleged that Schietekat was his girlfriend.
'Extramarital Affair'
Schietekat's case was then transferred to the public prosecutor's office, the only place which had a translator. She noted that her assault case suddenly centered around 'extramarital affair,' and she was advised to wear an abaya, a tunic to make her look like a 'woman of good morals.'
To Schietekat's luck, she was able to leave the country with the help of the Supreme Committee she worked for before she could be arrested.
'Marry Him'
When she received the case file from the criminal court, she was shocked to see that her attacker was acquitted of all charges because, despite the medical report, it couldn't be proved that he entered her apartment as there were no cameras.
On the other hand, Schietekat herself was facing charges for having a relationship outside of marriage, which prevented her from returning to Qatar. "The solution that my lawyer and the legal representative of my attacker gave me was relatively simple: marry him," she said.
On Friday, Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard met with Schietekat, promising legal representation 'ensuring that all her rights as a Mexican citizen are respected.'
