Personal Injury Law

Sexual assaults on cruise passengers increase

By Lipcon, Margulies & Alsina, P.A.

As millions of vacationers head out on exotic cruises during the busy summer season, few give a thought to becoming a victim of assault while on board a cruise ship.

According to the FBI, in recent years the leading crimes reported on cruises have been physical and sexual assaults. In March of this year, a 42-year-old female passenger on the Coral Princess claimed that a Portuguese man, who was a member of the ship's crew, sexually assaulted her, the FBI noted. Coral Princess is owned by Princess Cruises.

The woman allegedly met the 38-year-old man for drinks in a ship dining room, and according to her statement, the encounter turned into a terrifying one when the man blocked the doors, trapped her inside the room and forced her into performing oral sex.

Charles Lipcon, a Miami-based maritime lawyer, noted: "Travelers have this idea they are in a special cocoon where nothing bad can happen," adding: "That?s just not true." Lipcon is currently representing the Coral Princess passengers and has previously handled over one hundred cruise assault cases.

As the $22 billion cruise industry continues to grow, addressing the issue of on board assaults has become increasing important to lawmakers.

Full post as published by Cruise Ship Law on June 29, 2009 (boomark / email).