Passengers are experiencing an increase in sexual assaults aboard. In fact, cruise ship groping is on the rise. This comes at a when more women and men feel empowered to speak openly about sexual assault. Passengers aboard cruise ships are calling out bad behavior more frequently, too.

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.

Cruise Ship Groping

The mix of alcohol, large groups and the seemingly ‘free spirit’ of the high seas may impact the way people act while cruising. However, groping incidents and other forms of sexual abuse are unacceptable.  Commercial cruise lines reported 76 incidents of alleged sexual assault to the FBI last year, a 23% increase over the year before. This is further proof that sexual violence remains the most commonly reported serious crime at sea. These startling statistics show a window of the growing number of assaults being reported. These reports have only been available for two years.  These quarterly reports show a yearly increase in all sexual assaults not just cruise ship groping. In fact, assaults rose over 20% last year alone. The reports, however, do not show an exact amount of sexual assaults or whether accusations led to criminal charges.

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.