Calls to help Irish domestic violence victim detained in Dubai for ‘attempted suicide’

The Department of Foreign Affairs is providing consular assistance to a Roscommon woman reportedly detained in Dubai for attempting to take her own life.

28-year-old Tori Towey has been formally charged with “attempting suicide” by a court in Dubai, with politicians and campaigners calling for her release.

Ms Towey, who works in the United Arab Emirates as an airline cabin crew member, was allegedly attacked and left with severe bruising and other injuries in a violent incident.

Towey, from Boyle in County Roscommon, was taken to a police station where she was told she was being charged with attempted suicide and abusing alcohol.

Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald, who has been supporting her, told the Dáil on Tuesday that Towey’s passport was blocked and she cannot return to Ireland.

Ms McDonald told the Dáil that Ms Towey has been the victim of domestic violence and is subject to a travel ban over allegations she illegally consumed alcohol and attempted suicide.

Simon Harris, the Taoiseach, told the Dáil he is ready to “intervene” in the case. Harris said he was not aware of the case but noted that her plight had been raised with the minister for foreign affairs by Sinn Féin.

The Taoiseach, who was responding to a question from McDonald, said: “Thank you, deputy McDonald, for bringing the case of Tori to my attention,” RTÉ reported.

“I’m not directly apprised of the situation, but I’m very happy to be directly apprised of it now,” he added.

Harris added he would work with the deputy “to intervene and see how we can support an Irish citizen in what sounds to be – based on what you tell me – the most appalling circumstances”.

Ireland’s department of foreign affairs told Sky News it is “aware of the case and is providing consular assistance”.

It added: “As with all consular cases, the department does not comment on the details of individual cases.”

Attempted suicide is a crime in the Arab state, carrying a sentence of up to six months.

Ms McDonald said she has spoken to Ms Towey, and that the young woman’s mother, Caroline, has travelled to Dubai to be with her.

The Sinn Féin leader told the Dáil: “She’s under incredible stress.

“Unfortunately, Tori now faces charges in Dubai of attempted suicide and the abuse of alcohol, the system over there rather than protecting this woman who is an Irish citizen, chose instead to detain her to charge her. She’s now under the most incredible stress when I spoke to her this afternoon,” Ms McDonald said.

"Tori is a Roscommon woman, and she wants to come home.”

“Her passport has been destroyed and a travel ban was imposed on her. She had gone to the authorities seeking protection many times but to absolutely no avail.”

Ms McDonald said that “following one particularly severe beating in which her husband repeatedly tried to slam doors on her arms and break her limbs, she escaped upstairs and attempted to take her own life”.