Sexual assault on cruise ships exposed
Ferry Online Travel News 29/06/2009
Over 200 criminal cases have been reported on cruise ships in the last twenty years
Earlier this year, 42-year-old female passenger was aboard the Coral Princess cruise ship, which is operated by Princess Cruises. After meeting a Portuguese crew member in the dining room for drinks, the woman reported that the crew member sexually assaulted her.
Unfortunately, this is by no means an isolated incident. The FBI recently revealed that 184 criminal cases have reportedly taken place onboard cruise ships in the last five years. The admission is forcing cruise ship companies to re-evaluate their staffing and safety policies.
However, it has been suggested that crime rates may be higher on cruise ships than elsewhere as passengers are lulled into a false sense of security and place themselves in situations that they wouldn’t normally consider.
Charles Lipcon, a leading maritime lawyer in Miami, Florida said during a recent CNN interview: "Travelers have this idea they are in a special cocoon where nothing bad can happen. That's just not true.”
Part of the problem for victims of crime is that cruise lines don’t have to follow the crime investigation and reporting guidelines that apply on dry land. However, the good news for passengers is that strong measures are being taken to improve security and ensure that they remain safe as they set sail. The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act has been introduced in order to improve security.
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