A former teenage cruise ship passenger from Kenova, West Virginia pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor passenger. The assault happened aboard in a cruise ship bathroom on the Carnival Conquest in January of 2016 as the vessel cruised the Bahamas.
About Cruise Ship Sexual Assault
People often assume that violent crimes, including sexual assault and rape, are not a problem aboard cruise ships. Yet, statistics disagree. In fact, it is scarily more common than many know. So common that rape and sexual assault are the two most common kinds of crimes that take place at sea. Unfortunately, cruise ships often keep these traumatic and life-changing events in the dark from the general public.
Carnival Cruise Ship Sexual Assault
In January 2016 in a Carnival Conquest bathroom, the perpetrator was 18-years-old at the time of the incident. He admitted that he sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl. The abuser faces 15 years in prison. A federal court in Charleston, West Virginia will determine his sentence in October. Cruise lines are now required to report all crimes to the Department of Transportation. The number of reported sexual assaults on cruise ships jumped 550% in the first six months of 2016 from 6 to 39. These statistics just account for the ones reported since many times victims are persuaded to not file a report. Even a recent Senate report agreed that these statistics are just a fragment of this common crime.
Lack of Security
Although cruise ships do have some employees trained in security measures, there are no police officers on board. Also, there aren’t enough security personnel on the ship to handle the thousands of passengers. This coupled with an ability to access unlimited alcoholic beverages, lowers passenger inhibitions to protect themselves against criminal activities.
Investigations into cruise ship rape and sexual assaults are more challenging, especially without onboard law enforcement authorities. It can take days to the next port for an officer to come on board. This gives the cruise lines lots of time to sway a victim to recant or other employable measures to protect themselves from potential lawsuits. Critical prosecution evidence is often lost.
We Can Help Cruise Ship Sexual Assault Victims
At The Michael Brady Lynch Firm, our lawyers have decades of experience helping injured people get justice and full compensation for injuries caused by negligence. Given that lawsuits against cruise ships are in a venue favorable to the cruise lines, it is incredibly important to have an experienced attorney with ample resources to prosecute your claim. The Michel Brady Lynch Firm regularly takes on the largest corporations in the world with a track record of proven success and results. Contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm today, and our attorneys will review your case for free and help you protect your rights. For your complimentary consultation, call our office now.