Room for Improvement in Cruise Ship Procedure for Dealing with Sexual Assault

The risk of being assaulted on a cruise ship is a real one. And when you leave U.S. waters, you also leave behind protections you experience while on American soil. It is vitally important to be aware of how things will proceed if there is an occurrence of assault while on a cruise, in order to protect yourself, and the people you love, from harm.

Cruise Ships Often Unprepared for Dealing with Crime

One problem is that when a sexual assault occurs at sea, there are no police onboard to immediately secure the crime scene and interview witnesses. A cruise ship has security personnel on board, but these crew members may not have a law enforcement background, and, once the crime is reported, the crime scene may not be secured for collecting evidence. Because they are employees of the cruise ships, not deputized law enforcement officials, they don't necessarily have the skill or responsibility to investigate crimes.

If the victim is a U.S. citizen, the FBI will be involved in the investigation, but another country, or countries, may have jurisdiction as well. Due to such complexities, the FBI will often not board the ship to investigate until it docks, or is about to dock, at the nearest port. Because of this, great deal of time may have elapsed since you reported the crime. This makes it increasingly difficult to prove the crime even occurred, and the perpetrator of the crime may go unpunished.

Exercise as much caution while traveling at sea as you would while at home. Before you embark, follow the tips below to help protect yourself in the event you experience a crime while traveling.

Protect Yourself Before Your Trip

1. The medical attention you receive at the ship's infirmary in the aftermath of a crime may be less thorough than what a U.S. hospital would provide.
2. Medical treatment and hospital care abroad as well as medical evacuation to the U.S. can be extremely costly. United States medical insurance is usually not accepted outside the U.S., and the Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide coverage for hospital or medical costs outside the U.S. Ask your medical insurance company if your health insurance policy applies overseas and if it covers emergency expenses; if not, consider obtaining additional insurance for your trip.
3. Read your ticket thoroughly. The ticket is a contract with the cruise line, and might contain fine print specifying a maximum period (for example, one year) during which you can file a claim against the cruise line. The ticket also may reference a particular jurisdiction for any lawsuits against the cruise line.(For instance, someone from Los Angeles may have to pursue a case against a cruise line in Miami, while another cruise line may designate Los Angeles.) Notice whether the ticket contains any other restrictions on lawsuits.
4. If you plan to leave the cruise ship on an excursion, read about that nation's local customs and laws (to which you are subject while you are there).
5. Treat the cruise ship as you would any unfamiliar environment. Children should not roam the ship without supervision. Your cabin door should be kept locked; do not open your door to anyone you are not expecting. Check in with companions on board.

Following these guidelines can help keep you safe while cruising. If you or someone you know has been assaulted while onboard a cruise ship, contact Attorney Robert Gross at his office in Miami, FL at 305-793-5526 to discuss a potential case.