I've traveled to the UAE several times and it is a land of contradictions to sum it up politely. To many it is the Vegas of the middle east a place to have fun and enjoy the bests parts of western and middle eastern culture. Drink flows in hotel bars , prostitution is present and not very well hidden, there is huge western population that calls the country home.
They have got a massive ski resort/mountain inside a shopping mall for gosh sakes.
...But they also have a lot of traditional ideas and rules and certainly "appearances" to keep up.
I've traveled there pretty androgynous looking and never had an issue. Girl jeans, shirt, bra and panties with converses for shoes. It would be harder to hide my femininity now, but i was perhaps naively not nervous about it then.
Sorry this happened to the beautiful young lady. Truly sad.