NZ woman attacked in Kuwait

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Police in Kuwait are investigating the alleged rape of a New Zealand woman at a birthday party.

She is one of two New Zealand women caught up in criminal inquiries in the oil-rich emirate. The other was arrested this week for dancing in public.

In both cases, police highlighted the fact that the women had been drinking alcohol.

New Zealand's nearest consulate, in Saudi Arabia, has offered to assist the alleged rape victim.

The woman lodged a complaint with police in March, Al-Rai Daily reported. She told police her female friend invited her to her birthday party in an apartment where "the host offered her a drink and after some time she lost consciousness," the newspaper said. "After she came to her senses she discovered she had been raped."

The alleged rape was followed, this week, by the arrest of another New Zealand woman. The school teacher was arrested in Jahra in the early hours of the morning after police received a report that she was dancing in the middle of the road.

She was "high on alcohol" and taken to a police Station, Al-Anba Daily reported.

Alcohol cannot be legally purchased or imported into the Islamic state and the penalties for the possession of alcohol include heavy fines, imprisonment or deportation.

Aaron Grooby, a New Zealand man living in Kuwait, said Jahra was "probably 10 times worse than the worst area in South Auckland".

"When you are living in another country you have to take precautions," he said.