A 46-year-old computer teacher in Dubai - identified only by his initials, A.E.- is currently under investigation after asking a female student to send him nude photos through WhatsApp.
An official at the Dubai Public Prosecution said the teacher works at a private school in Deira, according to Gulf News.
He reportedly asked an 11-year-old student, who's been identified as L.Y., to send provocative photos of herself. The girl was traumatized by the entire experience, and even developed suicidal tendencies, her teachers said.
The school got in touch with the girl's mother who ultimately discovered unsolicited messages from the teacher on her daughter's phone.
"I started monitoring my daughter and noticed she was under some kind of pressure and always complained about pain in her body. Finally, on July 5, we discovered that her computer teacher was contacting her on her WhatsApp after school hours and sending inappropriate messages and posts," the mother >explained.
A.E. allegedly asked L.Y. to take intimate pictures of herself and send to him via WhatsApp.
The family filed a complaint with Al Ghusais police station after the school's principal provided them a copy of the suspect's passport.
The victim's mother could not confirm physical molestation but had proof of verbal harassment which led to the teacher's arrest.
Dubai Public Prosecution told Gulf News that the incident is still currently being investigated.
Sexual harassment in the UAE
In 2010, more than half of Emirati women questioned in a survey said they would not report sexual assault or rape to police.
This is probably due to the fact that there exists no special legislation in the country protecting individuals from sexual harassment.
However, the country's Penal Code does incriminate any "scandalous and disgraceful act."
In fact, Articles 358 and 359 of the penal code provide clear-cut laws when it comes to certain incidents.
Article 358: "Whoever openly commits an indecent and disgraceful act shall be punished by detention for a period of at least six months. Whoever commits a disgraceful act with a girl or boy who has not completed fifteen years of age even if it is not committed openly, shall be punished by detention for at least a period of one year."
Article 359: "Whoever attempts to disgrace a female by words or by deeds in a public street or frequented place, shall be punished by detention for a period not exceeding one year and by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dirhams, or by either of these two penalties.The same penalty shall apply to any man who disguises himself in a woman's clothing and enters a place the entry into which is reserved for women. If a man in such a case commits a crime, it shall be considered an aggravating circumstance."