Intimacy prevalent on Dubai's public beaches

Intimacy prevalent on Dubai's public beaches (Gulf News Report)
By Alice Johnson and Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporters
Published: August 02, 2008, 00:04
Dubai: As the Public Prosecution questions witnesses in Dubai's most recent public indecency case, beachgoers seem undeterred by the prospect of arrest. Public acts of intimacy were highlighted this month, after a British couple was arrested on a public beach. The couple has been referred to Public Prosecution on charges of consensual sex, public indecency and consuming liquor. At 1 am on Tuesday, hundreds of people were found by Gulf News reporters on the Jumeirah Open Beach, swimming in the sea and being intimate. Families and groups seemed to dominate one area of the beach and sea, while quieter areas were dominated by couples, frolicking together in public. One young Filipino couple, who were openly kissing, said: "The police never come down to the water."
The woman continued to say that it was "safe" for one to be in such a situation in the water with a boy or girlfriend, because police intervention is rare.

Privacy
Many pairs of heads could be seen sticking out of the water, leaving enough distance apart from other couples to ensure mutual privacy. While most couples kept their swimming costumes on in the sea, some women had taken their tops off. One man was observed watching a couple in an intimate position from the shoreline.
Another couple, who were kissing in an intimate embrace on the sand until questioned by Gulf News, seemed generally undeterred by the prospect of police patrols.
"You do have to be a bit careful. The police patrol comes every hour or 90 minutes, but the light from the car is enough to warn you. If they do catch you doing something they just give you a warning and say, don't ever do it again," the South-Asian male said.
"The police might ask for your labour card - you just have to make sure you have everything," the Filipina said.
The couple said they have been coming to the beach every seven to 10 days for the last couple of years. In a two-hour period, only one police patrol was observed on the stretch of beach.
Two Emirati teenage boys were the only non-romantic beachgoers that ventured to the area used by intimate couples. It was their first time at the beach, they said, as they were not from Dubai.
Besides the occasional curious glances at the frolicking couples in the sea, the two were minding their own business.
"I couldn't believe what I saw," one of them said shyly. "I didn't know these kind of things happened here. They don't happen where we are from," said one of them. The affectionate couples were concentrated in a small area towards the end of the public beach.
Although only a stone's throw from areas frequented by families, the couples' area was free of children, families and singles.

Beach safety:
Swimmers are oblivious to dangers of swimming at night
7pm, hundreds of people were in the sea - including families with young children.
Four people drowned recently - one at Al Mamzar and others at Jumeirah beaches
Lifeguard works from 6am to 7pm at Jumeirah Open Beach
An ambulance was present at the Open Beach at 1.30am
32 deaths and 39 injuries in drowning and near-drowning over last three years