A Ukrainian model who survived a horrific attack in Dubai has described how her assailants told her 'you belong to us' before she was thrown from a height, leaving her with a broken spine and limbs.
Maria Kovalchuk, 20, travelled to Dubai earlier this year to pursue modelling opportunities. In March, she met a 19-year-old man at a karaoke event at the Five Jumeirah Village hotel, who offered her a stay in his room and claimed his father could fly her to Thailand on a private jet.
According to Ms Kovalchuk, the group began teasing her for not drinking, then became aggressive. 'They started making fun of me like 'you belong to us, we will do whatever we want',' she told Russian outlet Ostorozhno, Novosti. She said they smashed bottles on the floor, took her passport, and one of the women left wearing her dress.
The men allegedly hinted they wanted sex, and when she did not reciprocate, the aggression escalated. Ms Kovalchuk tried to flee but was dragged back. She later escaped to a nearby construction site, where the men found and beat her. 'They practically tore the skin off her scalp, then threw her off a ledge onto the road,' the report said.
Her mother, Anna, said the Dubai authorities covered the 'colossal' medical costs, running into millions. However, no charges are expected to be brought. Ms Kovalchuk's mother claimed the police investigation falsified a statement suggesting her daughter attempted suicide, noting that medical tests showed no alcohol in her blood.
